My Best Friend's Sister
by Missy Dawn 94
Summary: Daryl is a junior in college living with his best friend, Rick. His life is going to get complicated when Rick's sister, Carol, breaks up with her boyfriend and moves in with them. Especially since Daryl's reputation has Rick warning him not to even think about trying anything with his sister.
1. Chapter 1

**(I'm starting another story. I plan on it being short, but then again I hadn't planned on both of my other stories reaching 50+ chapters. Read and review if you like. This will be AU. I just like to borrow my favorite characters and play puppet master with them. It's fun. Anyway, I'm rambling. Don't worry if you're still reading my other story. I'm still going to write on it, too.)**

Twenty-year old Daryl Dixon was currently living in a house he rented in a small college town a few hours south of Atlanta. He'd met Rick Grimes three years ago when the college happened to make them dorm-mates. They'd hit it off pretty quickly, finding that they shared a love of guns, hunting, and occasionally getting shit faced drunk.

The next year, the two decided to get their own place off campus, along with Rick's best friend, Shane Walsh. They rented a decent size three bedroom house, which was more or less, within walking distance of the college that they attended. The living situation seemed ideal because of financials, although Daryl never really took to Shane the way Rick did. There was just something about the guy that he didn't trust. He had always had good instincts and was a very observant person. But Shane and Rick had been friends since grade school and if Rick liked him so damn much he was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and he'd put up with living with him the past year and somehow managed not to kill the cocky bastard.

Rick also had a girlfriend named Lori who had been a prominent presence around them the last two years. She was his high school sweetheart. His first love. She was a year younger than him, but followed him off to college after graduating last year, and as far as Rick was concerned, as soon as they both finished school they'd get married and start having babies.

Daryl didn't care for her much either. She always seemed kind of whiny and he thought she had a manipulative side to her. He dealt with that, too, though, because Rick was head over heels in love with the bitch and nothing he could have said would have changed his mind about her.

Unfortunately for Rick, Daryl's instincts regarding Shane had been right all along and it turns out he wasn't very trustworthy. One afternoon about two months ago, Rick got out of class a lot earlier than expected and decided to surprise Lori at her dorm-room. Too bad for Rick, he was the one who was surprised when he caught her and Shane in bed together.

He'd taken it pretty hard to say the least. The first week he'd skipped work and hadn't gone to any of his classes. He just laid around the damn house feeling sorry for himself and drinking. Daryl finally had enough and smacked him up-side the head one good time and told him to get off his ass and stop being a pussy. His tough words somehow sparked something in Rick's brain and he ended up going to work the next day and taking his ass to class.

It wasn't that Daryl didn't feel for his friend. He really did. The poor bastard got screwed over by the love of his life and his life-long best friend. It was a hell of a note, to say the least. He couldn't imagine the two people he trusted most in life fucking him over like that, although Daryl didn't exactly trust many people, either. He'd learned at a young age that people let you down and that family can't even always be trusted. He'd pretty much closed himself off to most people the majority of his life and had never really formed many close bonds. Rick and his older brother, Merle, were the two people closest to him, but he still sometimes felt guarded, even with them.

He'd never even begun to have any sort of decent relationship with a woman. In fact, the only connections he ever made with women were drunken one night stands he had with random women. He'd never been with the same woman twice, and as ashamed as he was to admit it, sometimes he didn't even remember their names. He'd always go to their place, he'd never bring them home with him, and he was always sure to leave before they woke up in the morning. Maybe it was a dick move, but the way he saw it was that any woman who was willing to go home with a random stranger they met in a bar wasn't exactly looking to settle down anyway.

It wasn't like he went out and led women on and lied to them to get what he wanted. He never made it seem like more than it was. In fact, he really didn't have a bit of damn game at all and could barely talk to women sober. Most times, women ended up coming onto him first and he didn't even have to make a move. That didn't help his reputation of getting around, though. He somehow found himself okay with it. They got what they wanted, he got what he wanted, and everyone involved was happy. He wasn't about to let himself get close enough for anyone to hurt him. He was smarter than that.

Overall, Daryl thought his life was currently going pretty damn well. He had a decent group of people he hung around with, he had a part time job as a vet tech, and he was a junior in college with a high B average. Considering the fact that his old man told him he was a dumbass who'd never be shit, he found himself pretty damn proud of that fact. Next year he would graduate with a degree in Biology and he really wanted to work with wildlife in some way after graduation. With the skills he'd learned as a vet tech, along with all of the classes he was currently taking, his advisor seemed to think he'd have no problem doing just that. As far as he was concerned, his life couldn't get any better right now.

()()()

"Rough day at work?" Rick asked Daryl with a smirk, as he saw his roommate enter their house with a blood-stained Greene Animal Clinic t-shirt and a pair of scrub bottoms on.

"Hell yeah." He grumbled, Maggie was draining a damn cat abcess and I was holding it. The damn abcess just busted completely open and got all over me. I think the shits in my hair. I'm gonna go get a shower real quick." He looked over at the coffee table in front of where Rick was sitting and noticed a box of pizza sitting on it. "Your fat ass save me any?"

Rick flipped Daryl off and let out a chuckle. "Yeah, there's about three slices left."

"Alright, thanks." Daryl replied, as he peeled his shirt off and headed towards the shower.

"Hey, Daryl?" Rick called out.

He stopped in the hall and turned back towards his friend. "Yeah."

Rick's voice grew serious. "We need to talk about something when you get out."

Daryl scowled. "This ain't about Lori is it? You ain't taking that bitch back are you?"

"Hell no! I was an idiot when I was crying for her back. This isn't about Lori. It isn't even about me, really. Just wash that nasty ass smell off you before I puke and then we'll talk."

Daryl just shook his head and walked in the bathroom.

()()()

When he got out of the shower he felt relieved not to smell like rotting asshole anymore. He had an early class tomorrow and didn't plan on getting out again tonight. He just slid on a pair of pajamas and plopped down in the recliner beside where Rick was sitting on the couch. He let the foot prop up and grabbed himself a piece of pizza. "The hell you wanna talk about?" He grumbled between bites.

Rick pinched his temples and sighed deeply. "You're probably gonne be mad and I know you live here too and I should have asked you first, but I couldn't say no. Okay?"

Daryl shifted in his seat. "Tell me Shane ain't moving back in. I'll kick the mother fucker's ass myself."

"Damn it, Daryl! This ain't about Lori or Shane. I'm just getting over all that. Why do you keep bringing them up tonight?"

Daryl threw a hand up in a defeat. He knew Rick was still sensitive about all of this and did feel bad for making him bring them up if they didn't have anything to do with this conversation. "Sorry. What is it then?"

"Well, you've heard me talk about my sister before?"

He nodded. "Yeah. The one that lives in New York or something?"

"Yeah. My sister, Carol, who moved to New York after she graduated high school about four years ago to go to college and then met that douche bag, Ed, and moved in with him and dropped out."

Daryl shrugged. He'd heard Rick talk about her a lot. She was almost two years older than him, but he still seemed extremely overprotective of her. Daryl hadn't met her in the going on three years he'd known Rick, but he knew she lived with some guy her family wasn't crazy about and Rick constantly talked about punching him in the face one day. "So, what about her?" He asked, unsure of where this was going.

"Shem uh, well, she kinda just broke up with that guy she was living with she's moving back to Georgia. Things with her and my parents are kinda not great right now and she needs a place to stay for a little while. She's talking about enrolling at the college here getting back started on her degree."

"And you told her she could stay here." Daryl finished for him.

"Kinda." Rick replied quietly. "Are you cool with that? It's just, she's my sister, man. I can't tell her no and she's pretty upset right now. She needs to be around family."

"Hey, ain't no big deal. I'd have done the same for my brother." He assured him.

"So, you don't mind if she takes dickwad's old room until she gets a job and gets on her feet?" He asked hopefully.

"Nah. Like I said, ain't no big deal." He grabbed another slice of pizza and bit into it. "I'm sure I'll like her a hell of a lot better than I liked Shane."

"Thanks, man. I'm glad you're cool with this." Rick stood up to get himself something to drink, but a realization crossed his mind suddenly that hadn't occurred to him before. "Hey, Daryl, one more thing?" He made sure to lock eyes with his friend as he told him this.

"Yeah?"

"I know how you are with girls. It isn't my thing to just hook up with them and never call again, and I don't judge you for doing it, but don't fucking touch my sister. I mean it." He added sternly. "She's not like those girls you normally screw around with. You'll hurt her."

Daryl got a genuinely offended look on his face. "I wouldn't do that, man."

Rick shot him a skeptical look.

"I'm serious. I wouldn't fucking do something like that to your sister."


	2. Chapter 2

**(I'm glad you all are excited about this new story. Here's a short chapter. Enjoy!)**

That night, Rick had informed Daryl that his sister would be flying in tomorrow morning and he'd be picking her up from the airport in Atlanta. From his understanding, the only things she'd really be bringing with her to the house were clothes and a few personal belongings. It wasn't like she could bring a lot back with her on the plane and she hadn't had a car while living there. She hadn't needed one and she'd relied on public transportation to get around.

He hadn't really thought much more about her moving in after Rick told him. It hadn't seemed like a big deal last night. Today though, he found himself wondering if it was going to be weird having a girl in the house. He hadn't lived in a house with a woman in it since he was nine years old. He was used to leaving the toilet seat up and having beer cans and pizza boxes laying around if he didn't feel like picking them up right then.

When Rick was with Lori she'd always bitch at them when she came over and found those kinds of things. He started to wonder what it'd be like to live with someone who constantly fussed about stuff like that. He realized no matter what it ended up being like, he was going to have to deal with it for a little while. If Merle was in a situation where he needed somewhere to go he'd open his home to him in a heartbeat and he'd want Rick to be okay with it. Knowing his brother, it wasn't that far of stretch to assume it could happen either.

He got dressed and headed for class that morning, not really thinking this day would be any different than any other. He'd go to his three classes, clock into work, and then grab something to eat on the way home. His plan was to say a few words to Rick's sister when he met her tonight and pretty much stay out of her way as long as she was there. Rick made it clear he didn't want him trying anything with her, and even though he wasn't planning on it in anyway and was offended Rick even thought he would do something like that, he figured it would be best to keep his distance from her so Rick didn't get the wrong idea. He knew the guy's trust level was pretty low at the moment and he assumed it would be easier for everyone if he kept his distance.

It wasn't like he was good with new people anyway. It shouldn't be too hard.

()()()

Rick anxiously stood in the airport waiting to pick up his sister. He hadn't seen her since Christmas, and it was well into March now. After she moved to New York she'd only come home to visit once or twice a year. That usually meant she came back for about a week each year around Christmas time. They had been so close growing up and he'd been really upset when she moved out. He'd missed her like crazy these past four years and he was really looking forward to having her in a house with him again.

As he stood there in the airport, scanning his eyes over the masses of people shuffling about, he felt a slight tap on his shoulder.

"Hey, little brother." A smiling Carol greeted him.

A smile spread across his face when he saw her. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, slightly lifting her thin frame off the ground as he hugged her. "It's good to see you, sis."

"Yeah, you too." She laughed. "Now put me down. I'm the one that used to carry you around."

He did as said and released her from his grip. He took a moment and looked her over really good. She seemed different than she was the last time he'd seen her. Her eyes were tired and she had a worn look on her face. He knew that ending an almost four year relationship and moving away from the place she'd called home for so long had to be really hard on her. He knew that he'd had a hard enough time getting over Lori these last two months, he couldn't imagine having to relocate and start over on top of that. "Let's go get your bags and head home." He told her softly.

()()()

The two had spent a lot of the ride home from the airport catching up on each other's lives the last few months. Carol thought it was really nice to be around her brother again. Even though they may not have seen each other much these past few years, they were still really close and it seemed like no time had passed.

She was hurting right now, but she knew being with him was really going to help her get over all of this. She also had a sneaking suspicion he was still a lot more upset about the whole Lori and Shane situation than he let on and she felt like her being around was going to be good for him, too.

However, she really hated the idea of having to depend on her brother and live in his house for free, even if it was only for a short amount of time. As they got closer to his house Carol leaned up and turned the radio down. "I want you to know this means a lot to me." She looked over and met her brother's eyes that were a few shades of blue lighter than her own. "You know? Letting me come stay with you for a while. I promise I won't be there too long. I'll get a job and find my own place, and I'll stay out of you and your roommate's way as much as I can."

"You don't have to be in a hurry to leave and you don't have to thank me. We're family. You'd do the same for me if I needed you to."

She sighed. "I know, I just…I don't like having to depend on you like this. I'm older, I should be having to take care of you. Besides, I'm sure your roommate isn't happy he's going to have someone living in the house bumming off of the two of you."

"You might be younger, but I'm your brother, so that makes it my job to look out for you."

She looked up at him and rolled her eyes, although she was touched by his words.

"And don't worry about Daryl." He added. "He's fine with you staying. He's got a brother and he'd do the same for him. He's been a really good friend to me and he won't mind you being here at all."

"I hope so."

He nudged her in the shoulder. "Stop worrying so damn much and just let me look out for you for a little while."

"I'll try." She replied, nudging her brother back.

He looked over at her, contemplating if he should bring this up or not, but finally deciding he needed to. Just in case. "Listen, Daryl, he's a really good guy and he's been a hell of friend to me. Especially these last two months. But, well, I just need you to know something about him..."

She raised an eyebrow and gave Rick a questioning look. "Is he weird? Is he like that Eugene kid from high school? Is he going to say hunky dory a lot?"

Rick laughed out loud at the thought of Daryl being anything like the guy that they'd gone to school with growing up named Eugene Porter. "Nah, he's not like that. He just, well, he gets around...a lot." He finally managed to get out.

"So girls are constantly going to be in and out of our house?" She asked with a disgusted look.

He shook his head. "He doesn't ever bring girls home with him. You don't have to worry about that. I just wanted you to know because I don't want you falling for him or anything like that, and if he tries anything with you I don't want you getting hurt. I figure it's best you know how he is ahead of time."

She scoffed at Rick's comment. "I just got out of a four year relationship because my boyfriend cheated on me and got his secretary pregnant. I don't think you have to worry about me wanting to jump into a relationship with your roommate who's two years younger than me and can't keep his dick in his pants." She paused and looked out of the window, watching a group of kids playing ball in a front yard as they passed through a neighborhood. "Besides, I'm pretty sure I'm done with the whole relationship thing anyway. People can't be trusted." She muttered.


	3. Chapter 3

Daryl had stopped by Taco Bell on his way home and grabbed one of those boxes where you could get twelve tacos for ten bucks. He was tired, he needed a shower, and he was starving. Plus, he still had a five pager paper to write over the introduction of an invasive mussel population in the Great Lakes that he'd somehow forgotten was due in two days and he hadn't even started yet. There was no way in hell he was cooking tonight and the thought of Rick cooking was something to laugh at. He'd never seen the guy cook once in the entire two years he lived with him. Not that Daryl went out of his way to make homemade meals or anything, but he at least knew how.

He pulled his bike under the shelter in their front yard that evening, pushing his kickstand down and slinging his leg over the other side. He pulled the bag of tacos off of their resting place on the handle bars where they'd spent the entire ride home. Rick's car was home and the lights in the living room were on. He could see the TV flickering through the window as he walked up the porch steps.

As he opened the front door to his house that evening and went to kick shoes off, the savory aroma of marinara sauce and garlic bread filled his nostrils. His eyes had been fixed downwards while he'd been kicking his shoes off, but as soon as he noticed the smell he looked up and saw Rick on the couch. He had his feet propped up on the coffee table and a beer in one hand. He shot his friend a perplexed look. "What the hell smells so good? I know it ain't nothing you made. You can't even make tea without burning the damn water."

Before Rick could respond to him he heard an intoxicating laugh coming from the kitchen. He moved his gaze from where it was trained on Rick and slid his eyes to the left where the opening to the kitchen was. A young woman was standing there with her arms folded across her chest wearing a mischievous smirk on her face. He let his eyes sweep up and down her. Her body was thin and athletic, she had auburn curls that went well past her shoulders, piercing blue eyes, and long legs. His first thought was that this woman was fucking gorgeous and he wondered what the hell she was doing in his house. His second thought was that he hoped Rick hadn't finally decided to move on from Lori with this girl, because he was already thinking of different ways to get back to her place by the end of the night.

"Are you gonna introduce yourself or are you gonna keep staring at me like that?" The young woman asked Daryl, as she raised an eyebrow at him, not letting her grin falter.

He felt his cheeks flush and immediately felt like an idiot for staring at her. He looked down briefly, then glanced over to Rick who was staring at him like he was going to kill him.

"Daryl, this is my sister, Carol. Remember? The one I told you is gonna be living with us for a while and that I drove to Atlanta to pick up this morning." Rick reminded him sternly,then narrowed his eyes at him.

Fuck. I've barely been around his sister two minutes and I've already thought about nailing her. Daryl thought to himself. He'd been so busy at work and in class today he'd completely forgotten she was going to be here tonight. He'd forgotten she was moving in at all, actually. He wished he would have realized that when he saw her so he hadn't made an ass of himself by checking her out. He looked back over to where Carol was standing and gave her a small nod. "Hi. I'm, uh, Daryl and I, uh, I live here, too."

"Yeah, I kinda figured that when you walked in the door and started kicking your shoes off."

"Yeah, guess that kinda gave it away." He said, laughing nervously. "Well, uh, it was nice to meet you, but I think I'm gonna go to my room and eat these." He held up his bag of tacos. "I got a paper due on Friday that I haven't even started on yet. So I better get on it." He wanted to bolt for his room as fast as possible, because he hadn't expected Rick's sister to look like that. He hadn't expected her to be freaking gorgeous. He figured she'd remind him of Rick in some ways. Weren't siblings supposed to look alike?

"Why don't you eat with us?" Rick suggested. "Carol made baked ziti and garlic bread. She made enough so you could have some, too. She wanted to do it as a thank you for us letting her stay here."

He bit at his bottom lip as he contemplated what to do. The food did smell good, it smelled damn good. Plus, he didn't wanna to be rude to her. Running straight to his room seemed like a dick move, but for the sake of his friendship with Rick, he felt like he needed to keep his distance from her so he didn't do anything stupid. "I appreciate it, and it smells really good, but I gotta get this paper done. If there's any left I'll try some tomorrow."

()()()

After Daryl left the room Carol gave her brother a funny look. "That's the guy who sleeps with all these women?" She laughed.

"Yeah. Why?" He replied, raising an eyebrow.

She shook her head. "Nothing. He just seems pretty shy and awkward to me."

"Yeah, well he's not so shy and awkward after a few drinks, trust me. Plus, it helps that the women usually go after him."

She pursed her lips and nodded. "I can see that happening. He's pretty hot."

Rick cut his eyes at her and shot her a disapproving look. "Carol.."

She rolled her eyes. "Relax. I was just observing. I told you, I'm done with the relationship thing."

Daryl had retreated to his room and grabbed a change of clothes. He'd gone and gotten a shower, then ate about half the tacos he'd brought home. After eating, he'd started on his paper. It took him several hours, but he finally finished it all before midnight. He had to be up at seven in the morning so he could be at his first class by eight, but he found he wasn't sleepy. He decided to go to the kitchen and see if there was any of that pasta left that Rick's sister had made. He could have finished the rest of his tacos, but the food had smelled so good earlier he really wanted to try some of it. He made his way out of his bedroom and as he stepped in the hallway of the dark house he felt himself smack into something hard. "Damn it."

"Fuck." Carol groaned, as she grabbed her head.

"Shit, I'm sorry. I didn't see you there." He replied, as he reached out in front of him to make sure she was okay. He'd been looking down as he was walking and his head had collided with hers hard. His head had already started throbbing and he knew hers had to be, too. As he'd reached in front of him to make sure she was okay his hands had landed on her thighs. She must have been wearing short shorts, because all he could feel was the smoothness of her skin beneath his finger-tips.

"It's alright." She laughed. "I didn't see you either. I was just getting up to grab a glass of milk. I can't sleep." When she felt his hands land on her thighs she tensed slightly.

He quickly snatched his hands back when he felt her tense and shoved them in his pajama pockets. He hadn't meant for his hands to land there in the first place, and he'd let them linger slightly longer than necessary. "Sorry again." He mumbled. I didn't mean to…I was just trying to make sure you were…"

She let out another small laugh. "It's okay. No big deal. Why don't you go ahead and head wherever you were going first so we don't collide again."

"I was going to the kitchen, too. Was gonna see if there was any of that pasta stuff left you made."

"There's plenty. Go help yourself, I'll be right behind you."

He nodded, even though he knew she couldn't see him, then took a step forward and headed for the kitchen. He could hear her walking behind him and when he opened the door and pulled out the leftovers from the food she'd made earlier she'd asked him to hand her the milk. The refrigerator door was open and the light from inside lit up the room enough so he could make out what she was wearing when he turned to hand her the milk. She had on a pair of boy shorts and a tank top and he inwardly groaned, fighting every urge he had not to let his eyes linger on her as she turned around and reached for a glass.

"Thanks." She told him, as she handed the carton of milk back to him after pouring her cup.

"No problem." He replied, lowly. He went and grabbed a bowl for himself, then began heating up the leftovers. The moon was shining in the window and he noticed she was leaning against the counter, watching him curiously and sipping her glass of milk as he heated his food.

"Did you finish your paper?" She finally asked, breaking the silence between them.

"Mhm." He was trying to be short with her. He didn't want to encourage interactions with her, and to be honest, she made him nervous as hell.

"What was it about?"

"An invasive mussel species in the Great Lakes."

"Sounds exciting." She teased.

He shrugged. "It ain't so bad. I like stuff like that. I'm a biology major."

"Are you going to be a vet?" She mused. "I saw the scrubs you came home in and noticed you had some kind of animal clinic shirt on."

"Nah, I ain't gonna be a vet. That's too much damn school for me. I just work as a tech for now." He paused for a moment, realizing he was feeling a little more relaxed as this conversation progressed. "Did you smell the anal glands and cat piss on me, too?" He added, with a hint of a smile in his voice.

"Is that what that was? I must say, you smell much better now." She teased again.

The microwave started going off and he turned around to grab his food before the beeping woke Rick up. "I'm gonna go eat this in the living room and watch some TV." He told her.

"Mind if I join you? I'm still not feeling sleepy yet and TV usually helps."

"Sure" He replied, taking his food and heading into the next room. He picked up the remote and switched the TV on, as he took seat in the recliner. He made sure not to turn it up too loud. Rick's room was located right off of the living room and he didn't wanna wake him. Daryl's room and Carol's room were located down a hallway on the opposite end of the living room. The room Rick stayed in was the biggest and had been an addition to the house. It even had its own bathroom. He, Rick, and Shane had drawn straws for it when they moved in. "Got any preference on what we watch?" He asked, as he started scrolling through his Netflix account.

"House. You've definitely got to put on House." She insisted.

"Seriously?" He cocked an eyebrow, as he shoved some baked ziti into his mouth. "You're brother hates this damn show and bitches every damn time I watch it."

She nodded, then laid back on the couch "I love this show. I used to wanna be a doctor...among other things."

He sat with her in silence as the two watched the show and he scarfed down the food she'd made earlier. "That baked ziti was fucking delicious, thanks."

"You're welcome." She replied with a smile. "I just wanted to do something to say thanks for you and Rick letting me stay here."

"It ain't no big deal. Really. You didn't have to cook for us."

"I like cooking." She shrugged. "Not like I have a whole hell of a lot else to do right now anyway."

He nodded. Not knowing what else to say. He wondered if she'd keep the conversation up, but when it didn't seem like she was going to he decided to try. "Is it weird being away from the city after living there so long?"

"Oh my God! Yes! That's why I can't sleep. I need the noise. It's just too quiet here. I know that probably doesn't make sense at all."

"Nah, not really. I get it. I mean, not the city noise, but needing the noise you're used to so you can sleep. I'm from the damn sticks up in the mountains of North Georgia. I was used to hearing crickets and frogs and mountain lions screaming at night. When I first came here it was hard for me to sleep.

"I've missed hearing crickets and frogs!" She squealed. "I don't know if you've ever been to where Rick and I are from, but it's a pretty small town. I used to love laying in the grass at night and listening to them and looking up at the stars."

"Why the hell did you wanna move to New York then? They ain't got none of that shit there."

Her voice grew quiet and her eyes took on a far-away look. "I just needed to get away, needed something different."


	4. Chapter 4

**(I'm bad about posting before I finish proof reading. I took this and three down and re-read them and reposted. If I still missed something, I apologize. Here's the next chapter. Enjoy. I hope to update my other story tonight or tomorrow. Then, I may not be on for a few days as I work on a 25 page paper.)**

The sound of a door closing the next morning had Daryl's eyes popping open quickly. The sound startled him because Rick never just came in his room without knocking first. As he quickly came into consciousness, he suddenly realized he wasn't in his room at all this morning and the door that he'd heard closing was the one that led to Rick's bedroom. He looked up and saw that Rick was standing right outside of his door cocking an eyebrow at him.

"What are you Doing in here?" Rick asked curiously.

Daryl looked down at the blanket covering him and then over to the couch where Carol had been laying watching Netflix with him last night. They'd stayed up pretty late just talking and watching shows together. He hadn't remembered falling asleep, or even her going back to her room, but she must have since she was no longer on the couch. "Guess I fell asleep watching House." He mumbled, as he rubbed his eyes and went to pull the lever on the recliner down and return it to a sitting position. He made sure not to mention the fact that Rick's sister had been in here with him. Not that he'd been doing anything wrong. Hell, it was the most innocent damn thing he'd done with a girl lately. Unless you counted interactions with his co-workers, Maggie and Michonne.

Rick seemed to accept his answer and not question it. He just nodded and started walking towards the kitchen. "What'd you think of my sister?" He called out.

"I…what?" Daryl replied perplexed, anxiously rubbing at the back of his neck.

"Does she seem nice? Do you think you're gonna be okay with her living here?" He clarified.

"Oh. Um, yeah. Yeah. She seems pretty cool, I guess." He tried to play it off nonchalantly, like he hadn't interacted with her at all besides their initial meeting and didn't have an actual opinion of her.

"She's my sister. You should've expected her to be cool." Rick joked.

"Keep telling yourself that, bud." Daryl laughed, as he tossed the blanket off of him and stood up to stretch. He walked towards the kitchen where Rick was eating a bowl of cereal and sat down at the table with him. "She's definitely a hell of a cook." He added. "I ate some of her pasta when I got up last night."

Rick chuckled lightly. "She's always loved to cook. Even when we were kids. I think her Easy Bake Oven was her favorite damn toy." He put a spoonful of cereal in his mouth. When he got done chewing he looked up and met his friend's eyes and he let his voice grow harsh. "I saw how you were looking at her."

Daryl felt himself grow defensive. "I didn't know who she was! I forgot she was gonna be here, damn it!"

"Yeah, well now you do. Just remember it."

He sighed heavily, growing frustrated with Rick's tone. "I was around your damn ex-girlfriend all the time and managed not to put my dick in her. I told you I wasn't gonna touch her because she's your fucking sister. Stop acting like you can't trust me. I ain't Shane."

Rick opened his mouth to reply, but before he could the front door swung open. He looked up and noticed Carol coming inside. She was wearing a pair of leggings and a tank top, her hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail. "Where the hell have you been?" He asked, turning his attention towards his sister.

She was bending down sucking in a deep breath of air when she heard her brother's voice. She looked up and wiped beads of sweat off of her face. "I woke up early and decided to go on a run. This is a really nice neighborhood. I've missed being able to run around out in the open by myself like this." She headed towards the kitchen and went to re-fill her water bottle. "I was planning on coming back and making breakfast for all of us. I figured you two would still be asleep when I got back."

"I've gotta run to the library and print some stuff off before my 8 a.m. class" Rick informed her. "I'm gonna finish my cereal and get dressed, then I gotta head out." He stood up from his seat at the table and took his now empty cereal bowl to the sink.

"You're pretty lame, you know that?" She joked. "You're a 21 year old college kid. You're supposed to be partying your life away and wasting dad's money. Not being so responsible."

"Yeah, well, one of us already did that." Rick smirked, as he left the kitchen and headed back towards his room so he could get a shower.

She felt her face fall. She knew her brother was trying to joke back with her, but she didn't find it very funny. She took a sip of water and then turned and looked inside the refrigerator. She started riffling through the groceries she'd picked up yesterday when she and Rick went shopping. "I think I'm gonna make French toast." She mumbled. She turned around and looked at Daryl who was still sitting at the kitchen table twirling his thumbs. "You want any?"

He shrugged and gave her a sideways grin. "If you're offering I ain't gonna say no."

()()()

It was around five in the afternoon and the clinic Daryl worked at would be closing in the next hour. Now, whether or not that meant he'd actually get to leave within the hour was yet to be seen. They stopped letting clients sign in at six, but they still had to make sure everyone who signed in before six was seen before they could leave.

He walked to the door that led from the lobby to the triage room and cracked it open. There were easily still ten people left in the lobby. He groaned and closed the door.

"You in a hurry to leave, Dixon?" A female voice called out.

He turned around and saw Michonne smirking at him. "I'm fucking exhausted. I'm ready to go home and go to bed." He mumbled.

"Yeah, well you can want in one hand and shit in another and see which fills up faster. Now, come hold this Rottweiler while I pull blood for a heartworm test." She said, nodding her head in the direction of the dog.

He walked over to the massive dog, slowly extending his hand so it could sniff him first. He proceeded to pet the dog on it's the head softly. As soon as he was confident the dog was comfortable with him he quickly secured a grip headlock-like grip dog so it wouldn't be able to panic and hurt Michonne. "Ready when you are."

Michonne hit the dog's vein on the first stick and it didn't fight or get upset. She went to empty the blood from the syringe into the test kit and then wrapped the dog's arm to stop any bleeding. "So, who's the girl?"

Daryl scrunched his face up. "What girl? What the hell you talking about?"

The girl who kept you up so late last night. I know you, Dixon, the only time you come to work this tired is when you've been up all night with some girl." She laughed.

He sighed and shook his head. "Rick's sister."

Michonne's jaw dropped and her eye's grew wide. "No you didn't!"

Daryl just rolled his eyes. "I didn't sleep with her, jackass. I just met her."

"Daryl, you realize that's the case for all the girls you sleep with, don't you?"

"Shut up." He mumbled, taking a cat out to get a temp on it and get it ready for the doctor to look over. "That's my best friend's sister. I wouldn't fucking do that. No matter how damn bad I want to."

She smirked again and shook her head. "If you weren't nailing her, why were you up so late?"

He just shrugged. "We both woke up at the same time and smacked clean damn into each other in the dark ass hallway. Neither of us was sleepy, so we just binge watched Netflix and talked. We like a lot of the same shows. I don't know, she's a pretty cool chick. I liked talking to her."

"I'm sorry, did I just hear the words she's a pretty cool chick and I like hanging out with her come out of Daryl Dixon's mouth?" Maggie Greene said, as she entered the triage room with a very pregnant English bulldog that's belly was practically dragging the ground.

"Screw both of y'all, damn it!" Daryl growled, as he flung the arm he wasn't using to hold the cat with in frustration.

Maggie chuckled. "Who or what are we even talking about."

"Rick's sister moved in with them for a while because she just broke up with her boyfriend back in New York and Daryl spent all night talking to her and watching Netflix." Michonne blurted out before he could say anything.

"What the hell is wrong with that? She lives in my damn house. I might as well get to know her and get used to her being there." He grumbled

Maggie shook her head and bent down to get a TPR on the pregnant dog. As soon as she was done getting the pulse she removed the stethoscope from her ears and looked up at Daryl and Michonne. "Does she look anything like Rick?"

Daryl snorted. "Hell nah. She's fucking beautiful."

Maggie cut her eyes towards Michonne and the two shared a look, but didn't say anything outloud. Maggie took this opportunity of silence to transport the dog from the triage room back to the surgery bank since it was here for a C-section.

"Hey, don't hate. I happen to think Rick's pretty damn beautiful myself." Michonne laughed, before walking out of the triage room.

()()()

When Rick stepped in his house after work that evening he almost had to do a double take. The house looked like an entirely different place. The carpet had been cleaned, the walls were spotless, and there wasn't a beer can left in sight. He could hear someone messing around in the kitchen and walked in to find Carol cooking, again. "Did you do all this?" He asked.

She jumped a little at the sound of her brother's voice right behind her. She'd been so wrapped up in her own thoughts she hadn't heard him come in. "You scared me!" She scolded, as she lightly tapped him on the shoulder. "Yeah, I did."

"You didn't have to clean up."

"Oh, yes I did." She insisted. "If you had any idea how bored I've been all day you'd understand why. I can only go on so many runs per day."

He pulled her in for a side hug. "We'll find you a job soon. I've got my buddy Glenn keeping an eye out for you."

"I hope so. I can't stand sitting in this house alone all damn day for long."

"We will." He assured her.

"Do you think you could take me around town looking for jobs tomorrow or just to see some stuff?"

"I wish I could, but I won't be home from work until after six. I can take you Saturday."

She poked her bottom lip out and hung her head. "Okay." She pouted.

Rick sighed at the sight of her looking so damn pitiful. As much as he didn't want to suggest it and thought it was a bad idea, he knew his sister needed to get out of the house for a while. She had to have a lot on her mind and sitting idle was never good for that. Besides, maybe he was being a little hard on Daryl earlier. It was true, he'd never once tried anything with Lori, or Maggie and Michonne for that matter. As long as Carol was living with them he shouldn't have anything to worry about. As far as he knew, Daryl had never slept with anyone he'd have to see a second time. "Maybe Daryl can take you after class. I know he doesn't work tomorrow."

"You don't think he'd mind? I hate to bother him on his day off."

"I doubt it'll be a problem. I told you, Daryl's a good friend. Helping you out is helping me out."


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for reading and the reviews!**

Daryl was able to get home from work at a fairly reasonable time that night. It was a little after seven that evening when he finally got back to his house. That wasn't horribly late, considering the fact that on a few occasions things had gotten so backed up he'd worked until almost nine at night. He wasn't going to complain about being held after six though, despite how tired he was and how ready he had been to get home. His boss paid them time and half for any overtime they made and overtime kicked in the minute after the clock struck six. He never missed an opportunity to make extra money.

He didn't have help from his family like he knew Rick, Maggie, Michonne and his friend Glenn did. Part of that was because his family couldn't have afforded to help him if they wanted to, but even if his parents could have helped him, he was sure they wouldn't have. Not that he'd ever even ask the fuckers anyway.

He walked into the house that evening to find Rick and Carol on the couch. They had popcorn and Dr. Pepper sitting on the coffee table and they had busted out his original Nintendo and were playing Duck Hunt. They were laughing and talking shit to each other and the sight made him smile a little to himself. It made him miss the hell out of his own brother. "Taking it way back ain't y'all?" Daryl laughed, as he walked past the living room and towards the kitchen.

"Had to show my little brother I can still kick his ass at this game." Carol smirked.

"Shut the hell up, you aren't kicking my ass. You got two more than me."

She shook her head and tossed the control to the side. "It doesn't matter how many more I got, all that matters is I got more. I can still shoot a real gun better than you, too. Don't forget that either."

Daryl walked back into the living room with a bottle of water and a bag of chips then fell into the recliner. "You know how to shoot?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at Carol.

She tilted her head at Daryl then looked over at Rick. "You sure didn't talk about me to your friends very much did you?"

"Yeah I did!" He scoffed. "I just don't go around telling people my sister can out shoot me."

She just shook her head at her brother. "Our dad's a cop. We've both been shooting since we were old enough to hold guns. I think he used to take me to target practice more than Rick. He wanted to make sure his daughter knew how to handle herself."

"Hey, Daryl? You should ask Hershel if we can go out to the farm one day soon and get some target practice in." Rick suggested.

Daryl took a sip of his water and swallowed hard. He was impressed hearing she could shoot. He was even more impressed hearing she could shoot better than Rick, because he'd been shooting with him plenty of times and knew he was a damn good shot. The idea of seeing this girl being a total badass with a gun damn sure wasn't going to help how bad he wanted her, though. In fact, it was only making him want her more. He'd always found it really attractive when a girl could handle a weapon.

"You know somewhere we can go shooting at?" She beamed. "Out in the open shooting and not in some gun range inside?"

"My boss has a farm and a lot of land. He lets us go out there sometimes."

"You think we could go sometime soon?" Her voice was higher than normal and she sounded like a little kid who just found out about some theme park was opening and was begging her parents to take her. "I know I probably sound like an idiot, but I haven't been shooting outdoors in a really long time. I went to the gun range in the city a lot, but it just isn't the same."

Daryl saw the way talking about going made her eyes light up and the almost child-like smile that was spread across her face had him unable to think of any excuse as to why they couldn't go, because he didn't want to see it falter. He didn't know why and he damn sure wasn't going to begin to let himself think about. Instead, he just let the words that he knew would make her happy leave his lips. "I'll ask him at work Monday, but I'm sure we can go whenever. It ain't never been a problem before."

"Great! Just let me know when. My schedule's pretty open right now." She smirked.

"Alright." He replied, offering her a small smile of his own, then shuffling the remaining crumbs from his chips out of the bag and into his mouth.

"There's friend chicken in the oven and baked potatoes if you're still hungry after that bag." She informed him.

"Hell yeah!" Daryl jumped up out of his seat and headed for the kitchen again. "Why the hell can't you cook like this?" He called out to Rick. "I coulda been eating this good for the last two years instead of living off pizza."

"Because I don't have a vagina." He said, rolling his eyes and heading for the kitchen where Daryl was heating up his plate. "Listen, I need a favor."

Daryl looked at Rick curiously. "Kinda getting to be a thing with you ain't it?"

Rick just rolled his eyes. "Shut up, you're getting good home cooked meals out of this and if you didn't notice, she cleaned our entire house while we were at work."

Daryl honestly hadn't noticed at first, but he took a second to let his eyes sweep the house. There were no empty cans laying around, the floors were spotless, and there wasn't a dish in the sink. "Why'd she do that? She ain't gotta sit here and clean up after us all damn day."

"Because she's bored out of her damn mind sitting here alone" Rick paused. "That's where this favor I need comes in."

Daryl eyed Rick cautiously. "What the hell do you want?"

"I just need you to take her around town tomorrow. Let her apply for some jobs within walking distance. Show here where things are."

He cocked his head and folded his arms over his chest. He studied Rick carefully, trying to find out if this was some kind of test, because the way Rick was bitching at him this morning made it seem like the last thing he'd want was him to be spending the day alone with his sister.

"What?" Rick finally asked, growing uncomfortable with the way his friend was staring at him.

"You were bitching me out about her earlier now you're asking me to spend the day with her. Something ain't right."

Rick threw his hands up in defeat. "Look, I know I was being an asshole earlier, but I realized you were right. You never once tried anything with Lori and I've never seen you try anything with Maggie or Michonne. I should give you the benefit of the doubt on this. She just broke up with her boyfriend and I know how much that sucks. Plus, she doesn't have anyone but me here. I hate for her to be stuck in this house all day. So, will you take her? Please."

He chewed at his bottom lip and contemplated what to do. Tomorrow was his day off and he'd planned on relaxing and maybe going to a bar later. He peeked outside of the kitchen and watched as Carol had propped her legs up on the coffee table and was blankly staring down at her phone. The smile and excitement from a few moments ago had faded and been replaced with something else. ""Fine." He muttered.

()()()

After he'd finished eating he'd ended up going to bed pretty early that night. He was still honestly exhausted from only getting about three hours of sleep the night before. He'd told Carol he would take her around town tomorrow and she'd seemed pretty excited about it. He woke up that morning and the first thing he did was head for the shower. He let the warm water cascade over him as he took in the subtle differences in his shower that weren't there two days ago. A pink loofa was hanging from the shower head, a pink razor was resting by the soap, some pink body wash that said something about sweat peas was sitting by his Axe shower gel. He poured some shampoo into his hands and lathered it up, then ran his hands through his hair massaging the shampoo in.

He sighed deeply, unable to stop thinking about the girl who was still asleep in the next room. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been this attracted to someone. He'd never wanted someone so damn badly. He didn't know why either. I mean, yeah she was beautiful. There was no denying that, but she was such a contrast from the type of girls he usually hooked up with. She didn't wear tons of make-up, but in all honesty he didn't think she needed it. She didn't have huge boobs, but that hadn't stopped him from staring down the tank top she was wearing when they had breakfast together yesterday morning. He found he liked what he saw, too. Then there was the fact that she was smart, like genuinely smart. The way she spoke, the way she articulated her thoughts when she talked to him. She was intelligent.

She may have dropped out of college, and he had no idea why, but it wasn't due to a lack of ability. He knew that much from the small amount of time he'd spent with her already. The girls he normally hooked up with didn't seem to be all that bright. All they'd ever seemed to care about was getting drunk and getting laid. Although, he hadn't ever really taken the time to get to know them on a deeper level either, so maybe that wasn't a fair assumption.

He let his head come to rest on the side of the shower. What the fuck was wrong with him? She was his best friend's sister. He had to get this out of his head and he had to get it out of his head fast. She was just a damn girl. Like his brother had always said, pussy was pussy. Maybe he just needed to get laid. It had been almost a month since the last time he'd been out and hooked up with someone. That was probably all it was. He was just horny and she was the closest thing around.

He cut the shower off and grabbed a towel to dry off with. He looked down for his fresh clothes and suddenly realized he'd left them on the bed in his room. He wrapped the towel snuggly around his waist and picked up his dirty clothes. Normally, he'd just leave them on the floor, but he'd feel guilty if Carol came in and picked up after him. As he exited the bathroom and headed for his room he smacked clean damn into something…or someone. He looked up and saw Carol and immediately took two steps back until his back was firmly placed against the wall. "Fuck. I'm sorry." He muttered. "Didn't mean to do that...again."

She looked up and noticed him immediately jump back and land against the wall. She let her eyes sweep over him, once again noticing how attractive he was. His wet bangs clinging to his forehead, his blue eyes reflecting off the light being let in the hallway from the window in her bedroom, his sun kissed skin, perfectly defined arms. Then there was his stomach, toned abs that led to a V shape she could see slipping into the towel that was draped over him.

He noticed the way she was staring at him and she still hadn't said anything. He felt so awkward just leaning up against the wall like this, half-naked in front of her. He wondered if he'd hurt her when he bumped into her this time. "You alright?" He called out snapping his fingers when she didn't respond. "Hey, you alright?

Her eyes were trained on his abdomen when she finally heard him calling out to her. She just looked up at him and shot a mischievous grin. "What? You can check me out but I can't check you out?" She watched as his face turned beet red and his mouth gaped open, slightly. She winked at him and kept walking towards the end of the hall. She stopped and turned back to look at him before heading out. He was still standing against the wall looking dumbfounded. "I'm gonna go for a run. When I get back I'll be ready to go to town if you are."


	6. Chapter 6

Daryl was sitting on the front porch smoking a cigarette as he waited for Carol to finish getting dressed so they could go into town. Her earlier remarks about checking him out after he'd gotten out of the shower had floored him. He was trying to decide if she seriously was checking him out or if she'd just been trying to get a rise out of him.

She had a sarcastic nature to her he'd picked up on. Maybe that was all that was in the hallway. Just her trying to screw around with him. But what if it wasn't? What if she really was checking him out? What if she wanted him just as much as he wanted her? What would he do if she came onto him? It was one thing to restrain himself from making a move, but if she came onto him at some point would he really say no just because she was his friends sister?

He took a long drag from his cigarette and hung his head. His life was going to be so fucking complicated while this girl was here.

"Can I get a hit?" Carol asked, as she closed the front door behind her and came and took a seat on the front steps beside Daryl.

He looked over at her. She'd put on a dress shirt and a nice pair of pants. She'd taken the time to do her hair, which he knew would last all of ten seconds once they got on his bike. He also noticed she'd done her make-up, and it only did more to accent those big blue eyes of hers. Normally, he wouldn't find someone wearing clothes like this appealing, but she somehow managed to pull it off and still look good. He noticed she was still eyeing him and waiting on the cigarette. He glanced back and forth between the cigarette and her. "Your brother know you smoke?" He knew how disapproving Rick was of him smoking and always bitched if he smoked inside.

She just shook her head, pushing a loose strand of curly hair behind her ear. "My brother doesn't know everything about me." She reached over and snatched the cigarette from his fingers and pressed it to her lips. She took a long drag, starring off into the distance for what seemed like forever. When she finally placed it back in his hands, she let her eyes meet his. "And he doesn't need to either." She added, not even bothering to hide the suggestive tone on her voice.

She was shooting him a sexy little smirk that had him swallowing hard and it was in that moment he knew that something was going to happen between them. He didn't know when, he didn't know how, and he wasn't exactly sure what would take place, but he knew it was coming. He forced himself to look away from her and took the last drag off the cigarette. He tossed it to the ground and stomped it out when he was done. "You ready to go?" He nervously asked, as he stood up.

She nodded and stood up to follow him.

He headed towards his bike, stopping in front of it to fish the keys out of his pocket. Once he finally had them he swung one leg over the bike and turned around to look at her. "You ever ridden one before?"

"Daryl Dixon, there are so many things you just don't know about me." She laughed, walked up and climbed on the back of the bike like a pro. She reached forward and placed her arms securely around his waist.

The feel of her arms wrapping around his waist had his heart rate spiking and his breathing quickening. He tensed up slightly. Partly because he still wasn't extremely comfortable being touched by another human without alcohol in his system first, but a larger part was due to the fact that her touch made him nervous as hell. "I'm learning." He mumbled, as he went to kick start the bike.

()()()

He'd taken her downtown so she could apply for jobs there. It was within walking distance from their house, and in all honesty, he hadn't needed to take the bike. After he'd spent the ten minutes it took to find an empty parking space it would have made a hell of a lot more sense to walk. Most of the places downtown doubled as restaurants/bars. There was also a club, a pool hall, a bakery, and a few clothing stores. He knew none of these places would really provide a lot of money for her, but with his schedule and Rick's schedule she had to have something within walking distance. They wouldn't always be around to drive her to work whenever she needed. At least it would be a start and she could save up enough to get a car then look for something better. Once she put in her final application it was around lunch time and Daryl was starving.

"You wanna grab a bite to eat?" He asked, as the two of them were walking out of a clothing store.

She just shook her head. "We can stop so you can get something, but I really don't need to spend any money until I have a job lined up. I've only got so much put back."

"It's alright. I'll buy."

"You don't have to do that."

"Ain't no big deal."

"Daryl, really, you don't have to do that."

"I know I ain't gotta." He grumbled. "But I'm fucking hungry and I ain't gonna sit there and eat while you starve. Besides, you been cooking for me the past two days. Now stop being hard headed and let's go eat."

She didn't protest, instead she shot him a thoughtful smile and followed him as he led her around the corner towards a back alley. Off to the side of the alley there was a pizza place, one you'd almost miss if you didn't know it was there. "How come you didn't bring me to apply here?" She asked, as they walked inside.

"Rick and I are friends with the manager. They ain't hiring right now. We already asked him." He stepped forward in line and looked up at the menu options. "What kinda pizza do you like?"

"Pepperoni and pineapple."

He turned around to face her. "Seriously?" He laughed.

She just rolled her eyes. "It's weird, I know, but it's good."

"Hey, I ain't laughing because I think it's weird. That's just my favorite kind too."

"You ready to order, asshole?" A familiar voice called out.

Daryl looked up and noticed his friend Glenn standing at the register giving him a curious look as he stood there with Carol. "What's up short round?"

"Trying to take your order." He smirked, then looked between Daryl and the girl with him. He wasn't used to seeing him out in the day with girls. Especially not taking them out for lunch.

Daryl noticed the strange look Glenn was shooting him and cleared his throat. "Uh, Glenn, this is Carol. She's Rick's sister. Carol, this is Glenn. He's a good friend of mine and Rick's and he dates my co-worker, Maggie."

"Nice to meet you." Carol smiled and extended her hand.

"Yeah, you too." Glenn replied, with a warm smile. "I've heard Rick talk a lot about you. I should have figured out who you were. I knew better than to think Daryl was taking a girl on an actual date." He laughed.

"Shut up." Daryl muttered, as he felt his cheeks flush. "Let me get my usual, and uh, whatever she wants to drink."

Once they'd ordered their pizza they went and had a seat in a booth. They'd gotten their drinks, but both were still waiting on the food to get done. Carol was looking around the pizza place, noticing old road signs hanging on the walls. "Hard to believe a few days ago I was working in a thirteen story building and now I'm probably going to be waiting tables." She mused.

Daryl picked up on the hint of sadness in her voice as she spoke. "What'd you do in New York?" He asked.

"Oh, it wasn't anything special, really. The guy I was with, he was a few years older than me. We met at a coffee shop near the end of my first semester in college. Anyway, he was an accountant. I fell head over heels for him. He was my first real boyfriend. You know? I lost my…" She blushed and shook her head. "Anyway, I spent all my time with him. Every single damn free minute. He liked to go out drinking and partying a lot and he'd take me right along with him. I didn't put any effort into my school work. My grades were slipping, bad, and I was going to lose my scholarships. I somehow managed to make it through my second semester, but my GPA was shot and they weren't going to renew my scholarships. Out of state schools are expensive, really expensive. My dad had already helped some with tuition and living expenses, but he couldn't cover it without help. I was going to have to move home. I didn't wanna leave Ed, that's the guy I was with, so he ended up getting me a job where he worked as secretary. So that's what I did. I spent the last three years answering phones and fetching coffee for people like someone's bitch, but at least I got to do it from a fancy building. "She shook her head. "I'm an idiot…such a damn idiot."

He grew quiet, not quite knowing what to say. She'd just spilled her guts to him and she didn't know him very well. He wasn't good with feelings either, especially not women's feelings. If this was Rick telling him that story he probably would have agreed with him and said he had been a dumbass and that he needed to stop being a pussy and get the fuck over it. He made a mistake and wasted time and now it was time to make it right. This wasn't Rick, though, and he wasn't about to tell her that. He could tell by her voice that she was emotional already, and he didn't want to further upset her. "You ain't an idiot." He told her softly.

She shook her head and wiped a small tear from her eye. "Yes I am. I threw my life away for some fucking asshole who was bending his secretary over his desk in his office repeatedly until he knocked her up while I was three rooms away. I have my bachelor's degree right now. I could be applying to medical school. Instead, I'm putting in job applications at places I'm barely going to make minimum wage at. I'm having to depend on my little brother to have a roof over my head, and I'm forcing his best friend to drive me around town and waste his day with me when I'm sure he has a million things he'd rather be doing.

He hadn't know why she'd broken up with her ex. He hadn't bothered to ask Rick because he didn't think it was his business, and honestly, he hadn't cared. Hearing this now, he thought it was pretty shitty that she'd sacrificed so much just to be with this guy and he'd done that to her. That's exactly why he didn't do relationships. People always get hurt. Lori cheated on Rick. Carol's boyfriend cheated on her and knocked someone up in the process. It just wasn't fucking worth it. "Hey, you ain't an idiot." He repeated, this time with more emphasis. "You trusted someone you shouldn't have trusted and it blew up in your face." He shrugged. "It happens. It happened to Rick. That don't mean he's an idiot either. You just learn from it and know better next time. Maybe you ain't getting into med school right now, but that don't mean it's too late. So, what if your brother is helping you? It's a good thing you got somewhere to go. Who knows? Maybe one day he's gonna need your help." He looked up and let his blue eyes meet hers. "And trust me, I ain't got nothing better to do. I don't mind hanging out with you today." You ain't so bad." He smirked, trying to lighten the mood.

Just then a server walked up and sat the pizza down in front of them. Carol looked up and thanked her, then pulled a steaming slice of pizza onto a metal plate the server had set out for them. She glanced back up at Daryl and pursed her lips, then gave him a small smile. "Thanks, Daryl."


	7. Chapter 7

Carol had spent pretty much the entire day with Daryl after they'd had lunch. He'd taken her and shown her how to get to the mall, movie theatre, bowling alley, supermarket, arcade, various fast food chains, and the coffee shop. They'd taken about a ten or fifteen minute drive out to where the lake was located. He'd shown her that there was a park out there with a walking track, a volleyball court, and a swimming area for locals who didn't actually live on the lake itself. When they were done touring the town he made sure to stop back by the college and give her a tour of it, too. He'd shown her how to get to admissions and financial aid for when she was ready to talk to someone about enrolling in classes again.

Then he'd shown her where the library was in case she ever wanted to go use it. He took her by the dorms that he and Rick lived in their first year of college and showed her where the college athletic facility was located at behind the dorms. It had a gym, an indoor pool, rock climbing walls and basketball courts. He'd told her that you usually needed a college ID card to get access to the place, but that his co-worker, Maggie, had a brother that worked there and if she ever wanted to get in without him or Rick that she could just let him know and he'd make it happen.

She'd really enjoyed spending time with him today. She found that she just kind of clicked with him. He was easy to talk to, he was kind, he was funny, and from what she gathered while talking to him, he seemed to really enjoy his job and be passionate about it. Maybe it was because he was the only person she knew so far other than her brother, but she could see herself spending a lot of time with him while she was living here. The problem was, she could also see herself doing a lot more than just hanging out with him.

She wasn't an idiot. She'd seen the way he was starting at her from the moment he first saw her. She saw the way he kept his eyes trained on her breast the next morning when she had that tank top on at breakfast. There was no doubt he was attracted to her, none at all. To be honest, it made her feel good about herself. It made her feel damn good.

Being cheated on had really done a number on her self-confidence. It left her wondering if she wasn't pretty enough, wasn't good enough, didn't give Ed everything he needed. She left New York feeling insecure, broken, and vulnerable. When Daryl looked at her, it made her feel beautiful, desirable, wanted. Especially when she considered the fact that from what Rick said he was able to pretty much go out and get women whenever and wherever. Yet, this twenty-year old boy still looked at her like he wanted nothing more than to throw her up against the wall and have his way with her. It was an exhilarating thought to know that someone still wanted her that way, even if Ed hadn't.

And she'd be lying if she said she wasn't attracted to Daryl, too. He was gorgeous. His deep blue eyes, his tan skin, muscular frame, that gruff southern drawl, which he could turn into one of the softest, sexiest voices she'd seen at the drop of a hat. His shy grin, which she found so misplaced for his playboy reputation. She'd taken the time to really admire him when he had gotten out of the shower this morning and had been standing in the hallway wearing only a towel. For a brief moment, she'd wanted to push him against the wall and kiss him right then and there and let him have his way with her.

She'd never done anything like that before. Hooked up with someone. Ed had been the first guy she'd ever been with. Her parents had preached to her about not having sex until she was in love and how the person she lost her virginity to needed to be the person she spent the rest of her life with. Well, it was pretty obvious that was out the window now.

She was sure from this fiasco with Ed that she wasn't ever going to bother getting into another relationship again anyway. Plus, she didn't want a relationship right now. Her head and her heart weren't anywhere near in a place for them. However, she did want to feel wanted, to feel sexy, to feel…anything but pain and heartbreak.

Daryl seemed like a pretty good candidate to help her feel that way. He wanted her. She wanted him. He was about the last person on Earth she figured she'd have to worry about falling for her if something happened between them based on Rick's description of him. She felt comfortable with him, well more comfortable than she would going to a bar and picking some guy she didn't know anyway. The only problem was that Rick was adamant he didn't want her hooking up with him. She was sure from the way Daryl seemed to get nervous each time she invaded his personal space in the slightest way that Rick had relayed the same message to him.

She didn't want to cause problems between her brother and his friend, especially not while the three of them were living together, but she didn't think it was fair for her brother to tell her who she could and couldn't sleep with either. She was grown, Daryl was grown, and it was no one's business but theirs what they did. For the moment, she wasn't going to outwardly seek it out. She wasn't going to come onto him and throw herself at him. She was just going to casually flirt with him and see what happened, for the time being. If nothing ever escalated to a sexual level, then that would be okay. She could still gain some type of validation from flirting with him and the glances she knew he'd continue to throw her way when she wasn't looking. But, if the moment ever presented itself in the right way, in the right time, she knew without a second thought that she'd go there with him.

()()()

Rick got home from work shortly after Daryl and Carol had gotten in from town that evening. He found Daryl on the couch that sifting through a box of ammo and he could hear the shower going. Since his sister was nowhere in sight, he quickly deduced she was the one showering. "You two have a good day going around town?" Rick asked, as he stepped inside and kicked his shoes off.

Daryl looked up and offered him a small nod. "She put in a lot of applications and I took her and showed her pretty much everything around town."

"I really appreciate you doing that for me, man."

"Yeah, don't mention it. It was no problem." He shrugged, as he looked back down and started sorting through his ammo again.

"Hey, listen, Michonne and I are gonna see a movie later. I was wondering if you and Carol wanted to come. I'll pay for both of you. It'll be my treat for you helping my sister out today."

"Nah, I'm good. I think I'm gonna go hit up a bar later on. Maybe shoot some pool. See if I can find somebody to go home with. It's been a while, you know? Almost a month now."

Rick rolled his eyes at Daryl. "You realize I haven't been with anybody in two months and I haven't spontaneously combusted yet, right? It won't kill you if you don't get laid."

"Yeah, and it won't kill you to get laid." Daryl laughed. "I'm willing to bet my damn left nut you could get with Michonne if you tried."

Rick blushed and looked down. "Nah, we're just friends. You know that."

"Keep telling yourself that, but when you grow a pair and decide you finally wanna get some again, remember what I told you."

"Come on. It'd be a bad idea, and you know it. Don't you have some kind of rule about not sleeping with friends? That's why we both know you haven't tried to get with Michonne or Maggie."

"Yeah, well you ain't me. I wouldn't call them again the next day. You and Michonne…" He looked up and saw the expectant, almost hopeful look on Rick's face. He couldn't speak for Michonne, though. Other than saying she thought Rick was good looking she'd never indicated she wanted to date him or anything. Rick wasn't the hook-up kinda guy and he didn't want the dude getting hurt if he really liked Michonne and she didn't want anything serious. "Fuck, just forget it. I don't even know what the hell I'm trying to say."

Just then Carol walked into the living room. She had a towel over her head helping it dry from the shower. She'd changed out of the dress clothes she had on earlier while she was looking for jobs. Now she had on a pair of tight fitting jeans and a t-shirt that was cut low in the front. "How was work?" She asked, glancing over at her brother.

"It was alright." He shrugged. "Daryl said you two had a good day."

"Yeah, we did." She smiled. "I kinda like this town."

"Told you it wasn't so bad here." Rick replied. "Anyway, I'm gonna go to a movie later with my friend, Michonne. You wanna come with us?"

"Who's Michonne?" She asked cursiously. "Is she a date?"

Rick rubbed the back of his neck. "She's just a good friend. She works with Daryl."

Carol nodded and pursed her lips together. She then looked over at Daryl. "Are you going?"

He shook his head. "Nah, I'm gonna go downtown. Hit up a few bars."

"You mind if I tag along?"

He cocked an eyebrow at her. He didn't want to tell her no, but her going kind of defeated the entire purpose of why he was going. He couldn't go pick up girls with her right there.

"You don't wanna hang out with me?" Rick chimed in, almost sounding hurt that she'd asked to go with Daryl instead.

"I just rather go out than go see a movie. That's all. Nothing personal. Besides, you're going to a movie with a girl. Having your sister tag along as a third wheel kinda sends a bad message."

"She's just a friend." He insisted.

"Yeah, maybe, but it still kinda sounds like she just wanted it to be the two of you to me." Carol laughed, then turned her attention back to Daryl. "So, is it cool if I go with you or not? Remember, I'm old enough to go to the bar and buy your alcohol." She enticed.

He bit his bottom lip and brought his thumb up to his mouth. He didn't know what to do. If he told her no she'd be stuck inside by herself all night, but then again he'd spent all day with her and he didn't owe her his night too. If he told her yes he was giving up the shot at getting laid, because he couldn't just dip out and leave her downtown by herself if he met someone. He looked up again, seeing her big blue eyes expectantly trained on him waiting for an answer. He sighed heavily and gave in. "Yeah. You can come." He didn't miss the way Rick set his eyes on him as the words left his mouth, but he couldn't take them back now.

()()()

They left the house a few hours later. Rick had gone to pick Michonne up for the movie, but not without giving Daryl a private lecture about looking out for his sister and not letting her go home with strange guys and sternly warning him he better not ditch her if he met some girl.

Daryl had decided on stopping by the pool hall first. It usually wasn't as crowded as some of the places downtown at this time of night. Besides, a lot of college kids had gone home for the weekend. He went and got some quarters so they could play a few games, while Carol had gone to the bar and grabbed them both a beer. "I ain't even gonna ask if you know how to play pool." He laughed, approaching the table and inserting the coins about the same time she returned with their beers. "Every damn time I underestimate your ass, you surprise me."

"Actually, I don't know how to play pool."

He eyed her carefully. Not fully believing her.

"I mean, I know that you're either stripes or solids and I know you have to shoot the white ball at the other balls to knock them in, but I'm not good at shooting." She clarified.

He grabbed a stick off the rack and took a sip of his beer. "Guess I'll break then. He took a shot and sank the two ball. "I'm solids." He called out. He missed the second shot and then informed her it was her turn.

She went to shoot and missed horribly, sending the cue ball flying in the air in the process. She turned around to face him and blushed. "See, I suck."

He let out a small laugh. "You gotta relax with the stick and you gotta aim. Try again."

She leaned across the table and took another shot. "Like this?" She asked. She missed again, but this time the ball didn't go flying.

He smirked again and shook his head. "Here, I'll show you." He walked up behind her and leaned against her, his crotch pressed firmly against her ass. He moved her hands on the stick to show her how she needed to have hers placed and then he moved his over hers to guide her. "Now relax." He told her, softly.

She shifted slightly and it caused her ass to grind against his crotch. "Is this better?"

"Mhm" He managed to get out trying hard to ignore the fact that her ass had just moved against his dick. He slowly pulled back on the stick, his breath coming out hot against her throat. "Now shoot." He instructed her, as he slowly pulled himself away from her.

She took the shot, this time easily sinking the stripped ball she was aiming for.

()()()

The game continued and she ended up giving him a run for his money. They both ended up on the 8 ball and she ended up sinking it in the left corner pocket, just like she called it. She looked up and gave him a sly grin.

"You fucking played me." He muttered accusingly. "You knew what the hell you were doing."

She just smirked at him some more. "Maybe you're just a good teacher…or maybe I just wanted you pressed up against me while I was bent over like that." She took a few steps towards him, her body only mere inches away from his now. Her blue eyes were locked on his and she pulled at her bottom lip with her teeth."

His eyes grew dark and his voice got extremely low. He let his gaze sweep down to her chest as he spoke. "We can end up in that position again later on if you want." He licked his lips and went to lean his head in.

The sound of someone clearing their throat suddenly had the duo jumping apart. "Six inch rule, remember? I don't think Rick would approve you two being this close. "Glenn smirked.

Daryl sucked in a deep breath and ran his hand over his face.

"Good to see you again, Glenn." Carol said. She could feel her face burning in embarrassment as she spoke.

"Yeah, you too." He laughed, then looked over at the woman standing beside him who looked like she had no idea what the hell was going on. "Oh, uh, and this is Maggie. She's my girlfriend and she also works with Daryl. Maggie, this is Carol. She's Rick's sister."

"Nice to meet you." Carol replied, shyly, as she extended her hand to Maggie.

Maggie was sporting a huge grin on her face as she extender her own hand and met Carol's. "It's nice to meet you, too."


	8. Chapter 8

**(Okay everyone, today I submitted my certification. I should know something early April. Let's hope I pass, because I really don't want to have to do ANY part of that over. Prayers/positive thoughts/positive vibes and what not are appreciated in regards to that. I spent the entire night last night cleaning it up and adding my videos and doing everything and I've had about 2-3 hours of sleep throughout my day. So, if this sucks, I apologize in advance. I just felt like writing for pleasure at the moment. Oh, and I know I'd promised to update my other story before updating this again, but I really have to be in a certain mood to write on that one and I'm too exhausted to get into that mood right now. I will get back on it soon. Hopefully next week once spring breaks start, if not later this week. Anyway, here's the next one. Enjoy!)**

Maggie and Glenn had decided to hang around after running into Daryl and Carol at the pool hall. Daryl couldn't believe they'd walked up and caught them in such a compromising position. He wasn't sure if he should be more pissed off at them for walking up and ruining the moment or if he should thank them since it probably wouldn't have ended well in the long run if they'd actually ended up doing anything.

As he looked up and watched Carol carefully scope out her next shot at the pool table, slowly bending over the table to better her aim and giving him a perfect view of her ass in the process, seductively running the stick up and down her fingers before sinking her next shot, he decided he was going to go with being pissed off for being interrupted. He picked up the beer she'd gotten for him earlier and downed the rest of the bottle, which was about ¼ of the way full, all the while not moving his gaze from her ass. He felt someone nudge his shoulder and finally looked away from her and turned around to see Glenn glaring at him. He sent the shorter man a very annoyed look. "What?" He snapped.

"You should know what." Glenn whispered so Carol or Maggie wouldn't hear them. "She's Rick's sister and you were two seconds away from shoving your tongue down her throat when I got here. Now you keep staring at her like you're gonna snatch her by the hand and haul her off to one of these bathrooms any second now and do God knows what." Glenn's voice grew high pitched and full of concern for the situation at hand.

Daryl scoffed. "You think I'd just take her to the bathroom in this dirty ass pool hall and bend her over the sink or something."

"Yes." Glenn deadpanned. "I saw you take some girl at the club we went to on spring break in Florida last year to a bathroom and come out ten minutes later. Then later that night I saw you with a completely different girl heading out the back entrance towards one of the sand dunes on the beach."

Daryl looked down. He couldn't deny that he had a questionable history with women. He really did. Would it be beneath him to hook up with some random girl in a bar bathroom or in a back alley? No. Hell, he'd done the alley thing behind the club that was just a block away from them the last time he'd been with someone. He shook his head and looked up at Glenn, meeting his friend's eyes. "That ain't her, man. She ain't the kinda girl you just go fuck in some bar. If it happened, it wouldn't have happened here."

Glenn cocked an eyebrow at Daryl. He was slightly surprised that he actually had enough respect for her to not have been considering doing that. "So, you were gonna take her home and do her with her brother in the next room? Her brother who made you promised you wouldn't touch her."

Daryl scowled at Glenn deeply. He didn't know why the little fucker was so up in his business about it. "I don't fucking know what I was going to do." He growled quietly. He looked up to make sure Carol and Maggie were still engrossed in conversation and not paying attention to him or Glenn. "She's fucking gorgeous and I haven't been laid in almost over a damn month. She was looking at me and biting her damn lip like that. Yeah, I wasn't thinking. Okay?" He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "Listen, just, please don't tell Rick about what you almost saw. Alright?"

Glenn looked uneasy. "I don't wanna lie to him."

"You ain't gonna be lying. Ain't nothing happen between us, damn it! I didn't even touch her."

Glenn shook his head solemnly. "I won't tell him…but you need to go take care of this. Go find some random girl and get laid and stop thinking about Rick's sister like that. You know it's gonna fuck up your friendship." He warned.

Daryl ran a hand across the back of his neck and looked down. He knew Glenn was right. The longer he went without sex, the more he'd want the attractive girl he was sharing a house with and spending time with. He shouldn't have let her come out with him tonight. He should have told her no. He should have just told her why he wanted to come out alone. He'd have told Michonne, he'd have told Maggie, but he found he didn't want to tell Carol that. For the life of him, he didn't know why either.

"Hey, Daryl?" Maggie called out, as she and Carol walked up to where he and Glenn were standing against the wall a few feet from the pool table."

"Yeah." He mumbled, letting his eyes flick away from the floor and towards the two women.

"I know today wasn't your Saturday to work, but something interesting happened that I haven't had a chance to tell you about."

"What's that?"

"A client got pissed off on the phone because Jessi told her that we couldn't sell her heartworm medicine if her dog wasn't currently on it and hadn't been tested within the last thirty days. Anyway, the two keep going back and forth about it and the woman got madder and madder until she cussed Jessi out and called her fucking batty. Jessi was really upset and told my dad at the end of the day she couldn't work there anymore because she was tired of dealing with clients going off when they didn't get their way. She said she had a job offer at dentist office and was going to take it and she wouldn't be back in on Monday. So, now we're down a client care specialist." She smirked.

He let out a small laugh. "I didn't like the bitch no way." She wasn't exactly good with clients and she was always getting stressed out and snapping on her co-workers. "It just sucks things will be a little slower up front with check-in and check-outs until he replaces her."

"Maybe they won't be." Carol chimed in. A huge grin plastered across her face.

"Huh?" He asked, clearly confused.

"Maggie said that with my experience in reception she thinks I'd be a good candidate for the job. She said the pay is above minimum wage starting out and her dad gives you guys get health benefits and raises once a year, plus bonuses. And, she said if a tech or assistant position opened up in the future he might train me for that if I did a good job and showed initiative. Isn't that great, Daryl."

He looked over at Maggie carefully. "You think your dad's gonna be cool with this?"

"I already texted him and asked. He wants her to bring in a resume' an a cover letter and do a brief interview, but it's pretty much a sure thing as long as she knows what she's doing with a computer and phone and has basic customer service skills."

He swallowed hard and forced himself to smile. He was happy that she'd found a job. He was happy she'd found a decent job he knew she could advance some in. Hershel was a good boss and a good man. He'd taken Daryl under his wing when he first moved here and taught him all he knew. He'd trained him to be a vet assistant and helped prep him to take his vet tech exam so he could be certified. He'd even paid for his exam and given him a damn good raise once he passed. He was making five bucks more an hour now than when he started thanks to that certification, and it helped a lot.

He knew if he saw potential in Carol he'd invest in her and help her out, too. From what Daryl knew about her so far, he was sure she had potential and was easily smart and tough enough to advance at the clinic. It was a good thing for her, and he was actually happy for her. However, this also meant that on top of living with her, he'd also be working with her, so he'd be spending even more time with her. He was sure that wasn't going to do anything to quell the sexual tension between them. "Congratulations." He managed to get out, hoping she didn't pick up on the fact that he wasn't completely comfortable with the idea.

"Let's go get a few drinks to celebrate." Maggie suggested, grabbing Carol by the arm like they were best friends. "You boys want anything?" Maggie and Glenn had turned 21 earlier in the year, while Daryl still had a few weeks until his 21st birthday. Between going out with them and Rick he usually had a way to get his hands on something to drink.

"I'll take a beer." Glenn called out.

"Shot of whiskey." Daryl muttered, handing Carol his card. "Get whatever you want. My treat." He gave her a small smile and fished his cigarettes out of his pocket. He looked back at Glenn after Carol and Maggie headed for the bar to grab the drinks. "I'm gonna go smoke."

()()()

He stepped outside the bar, taking a seat on a bench located on the sidewalk. He could have stayed inside and smoked. Lots of other people were, but he wanted to get outside and get some fresh air. He lit the cigarette and put it to his mouth, sucking in a deep breath of smoke and feeling himself relax almost instantly. He watched as drunk college kids stumbled out of some of the other bars, as couples walked hand in hand down the street, as a cool spring breeze rustled the tops of cherry blossom trees that lined the street.

"You got another one of those?" A female voice asked.

He moved his gaze from the trees to the woman standing beside him. She was tall and lean and wearing a dress that left little to the imagination as it clung to her ass, her breasts were almost spilling out of the front. She had shoulder length, wavy red hair and her eyes were glassy, as if she was slightly drunk already. She was attractive, not in the same way he found Carol attractive, but in the way he found the girls he'd hook up with in bar bathrooms attractive. He let his eyes sweep up and down her. He nodded and grabbed his pack of cigarettes, pulling one out and extending it to her.

She took it from his hands, then took a seat on the bench next to him. "Got a light, too?" She smirked.

"Yes ma'am." He replied, lowly. Pulling the lighter out and lighting it for her.

"Thanks…um…sorry, I don't know your name."

"Daryl."

"Thanks, Daryl." She took a long drag of the cigarette then proceeded to introduce herself. "I'm Miranda. So, tell me something Daryl." She placed a hand on his thigh and moved it up and down lightly. "What's a handsome guy like you doing out here all by yourself on a Saturday night."

The feel of this woman's hand on his thigh was about all he needed to get the message that she was a strong possibility of providing him a release for some of this sexual frustration he had built. "Waiting for someone like you to walk by and keep my company for the night." He replied, flashing a cocky grin. He wasn't going to tell her she was pretty. He wasn't going to act like he wanted her for more than what this was. She could take it or leave it.

"Is that so?" She said, leaning into him, breathing hot on his neck. "Well, why don't you go buy me a drink and I'll think about letting that happen."

He nodded eagerly. As the two stood up and turned around to walk down the street to the next bar he glanced inside the window of the pool hall. He could see Carol, Maggie, and Glenn standing around the bar laughing. A twinge of guilt hit him at the thought of dipping out on her without a word, leaving her with two people she'd just met.

Suddenly another twinge of guilt that he hadn't expected hit him. The thought of how it might affect her if he left to hook up with this girl after he'd been ready to pounce on her earlier. She'd just been cheated on, and although he and Carol were literally nothing, barely even friends since they'd only known one another a few days, it just seemed pretty shitty for him to so easily move on to someone else in the same night. He felt like it might hurt her somehow, and he didn't wanna do that. "You know what?" He replied, pulling out his wallet and swallowing hard. "I just realized I ain't got my card on me." That was true too, he'd left it with Carol to get drinks.

"That's okay, we could just go back to my place." She suggested. "I've got some beer and I kinda owe you for the cigarette."

He bit his bottom lip hard, feeling like the dumbest mother fucker on the planet right now for not taking her up on this offer. Merle would kick his ass for passing this opportunity up. When he looked up at the window again he saw Carol had spotted him and was eyeing him curiously as he talked to the girl "Sorry, Melinda. I got somewhere to be."

She saw him looking at some girl in the window of pool hall and bolt for the door after getting her name wrong. "It's Miranda, asshole." She yelled and flipped him off.


	9. Chapter 9

**(First off, I'm really happy that people like this story. I was unsure of the premise at first and toyed with the idea a while before finally writing it. I'm glad I did ,though. As always, thanks for reading and reviewing. Enjoy!)**

He made his way back into the pool hall, trying to act as casual possible as he approached Carol, Glenn and Maggie at the bar. Somehow, he still felt like he had the word guilty written across his forehead, although he knew realistically he shouldn't have anything to feel guilty about. "You got my drink?" He asked Carol, with a small smile, as he walked up beside her. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Maggie smirking as a very reluctant Glenn pressed a five dollar bill into her hand.

She pursed her lips and shook her head. "I drank it since it didn't seem like you were coming back after you met that girl out there." She replied flatly, crossing her arms over her chest. "Oh, and I hope you don't mind, but I used your debit card to buy the whole bar drinks, too."

His jaw dropped. The thought of his paycheck going to get an entire pool hall full of people drunk that he didn't know had him reeling. "Wait...What?" He snapped. "I can't believe you fucking did that…"

She kept her face straight for as long as she could, but before he could finish freaking out she busted out laughing. "I'm screwing with you, Daryl." She reached up on the bar and grabbed two shots that were sitting in front of her. "Here's your whiskey." She handed it to him and kept the shot glass full of lighter liquor in her hand. She quickly tossed it back, closing her eyes and grimacing as it burned all the way down. When she opened them again she noticed Daryl was still staring at her wide eyed. "Are you gonna drink yours or not? She smirked.

He wasn't exactly sure if she was slightly mad at him for almost leaving or if the tone she'd spoken to him in as he re-entered the bar was just an act to bust his balls. She was so damn sarcastic sometimes, and he honestly hadn't figured out yet when to know if she really meant something by her words. With the way she was smirking at him right now he figured she couldn't be too mad, so he lifted his shot glass and quickly threw back his own.

"You want another or are you done for the night?"

"You gonna take one more with me?" He challenged, raising an eyebrow at her.

"As long as you're paying." She laughed, then reached into her pocket and pulled out his debit card.

()()()

Maggie and Glenn had stayed with them for a while longer. They each shot another round of pool with Carol and Daryl on one team and Glenn and Maggie on the other and the group shared a few more beers. Carol and Maggie really seemed to hit it off and had exchanged phone numbers by the end of the night. Daryl was a little surprised at Maggie's keen interest in Carol. It wasn't that she wasn't a friendly person, she just seemed to be going out of her way to be extra nice to her and get to know her and he found it odd. Then again, the same could be said for him, he supposed. He'd ended up staying up half the night to talk to her on her first night there and then he'd spent his entire day and night with her today. Maybe there was just something about the girl that made people wanna be around her.

Maggie let out a yawn and then stretched her arms over her head. "I think we're gonna call it a night you two."

"You're walking home, right?" Daryl asked, looking over at Glenn, whose face was flushed red and his eyes glassy.

He gave Daryl a thumbs up and smiled widely.

Daryl just shook his head. Glenn could never handle his alcohol. "Y'all be safe, alright?" He said, turning his gaze to Maggie.

Maggie laughed and looked between him and Carol. "Yeah, same goes for you two." She gave Daryl a wink before turning to focus on Carol. She reached over and touched her arm. "It was really nice to meet you. Don't forget to be at the clinic Monday morning at 7:30, okay?"

Carol gave her new friend a smile. "I will, and thank you so much for everything."

"Don't mention it. Call me if you have any questions before then or if you decide you get tired of hanging out with your brother and Daryl."

Carol said her goodbye's to Glenn as well, then watched as the couple headed out of door. She turned and looked at Daryl, who was leaned against the pool table. "Are you ready to head out too? I'm really starting to feel that last shot and I don't wanna fall face first on the sidewalk going back home."

He let out a small laugh and nodded. He was feeling a little buzzed. too. He wasn't drunk, but his lips felt tingly and his body was definitely warmer than normal.

()()()

They made their way from the pool hall and started on the almost ten minute walk back to their place. It was mid-March, and though it wasn't technically spring yet, the weather was almost perfect. It was a warm night, and a there was a crisp breeze blowing through the air. The sky was impeccably clear, the moon shining bright and stars scattered as far as the eye could see. Carol watched in admiration as leaves shuffled about the side walk when another breeze came through. "It's such a nice night. I can't remember the last time I saw this many stars." She shot her eyes up, once again admiring the millions of stars lining the sky above her.

Daryl looked up, feeling his head spin slightly, the effects of the alcohol clearly setting in more. "If you like this, you should try seeing this kinda view from the woods up in the mountains where I'm from. Ain't never seen nothing like it."

"I bet it's beautiful." She mused. "Do you go back home often?"

He stiffened and tugged at his bottom lip. "Nah." He mumbled.

"Why not?"

"I just don't." He snapped.

She looked slightly taken aback at his harsh tone and stopped in place.

He noticed how she froze and he felt like a jackass for snapping at her, but he really didn't like talking about his family and why he didn't like to visit. Hell, Rick didn't even really know why. He stopped and turned around to face her, trying desperately to make up for his aggressive tone. "Listen, I didn't mean to snap at you, alright? I just…I don't wanna talk about."

His voice was soft and tender as he spoke and she could almost see the pain hidden deep in his eyes. She gave him a slight nod and stepped forwards, continuing on their journey home. "I get it. I mean, I probably don't get why, but I get not wanting to go home. Not wanting to face certain things. I've gone home for about a week once a year at Christmas the last four years, and if I'm being honest, I wouldn't have made those trips if Rick wasn't always home when I went back."

He cocked an eyebrow, quite surprised at the fact that she'd avoid her parents and not wanted to be around them based on how he knew Rick's relationship was with them. They helped him with money. The sent him Christmas cards. He went home to see them on spring break and every single holiday he could. He assumed they were perfect parents, or at least perfect compared to his anyway. "You don't get along with your parents?" He asked, curiously.

"Let's not get into that and kill my buzz right now. Okay?"

There was a certain look in her eyes. One that seemed to be a mixture or resentment and regret all tied into one. He found himself really wanting to know the story, but he of all people knew that there were some things better left unsaid. "Fair enough." He shrugged.

They continued another block in silence and as they rounded the corner Carol decided to speak up. "I really like your friends. They seem nice."

"Yeah." He nodded. "They're good people. Aside from your brother and Michonne, they're about the only people I really hang out with around here."

"Right." She rolled her eyes. "Them and all the girls you hook up with."

He ran a hand over the back of his neck and let his eyes hit the concrete. "Rick tell you that or Glenn and Maggie?"

She just shrugged. "Rick might have mentioned it on our drive back from the airport. Then Glenn and Maggie might have had a bet going on about whether or not you were going home with that girl you shared a cigarette with."

He pulled at his bottom lip and cleared his throat. "I uh…I don't really hang out with them. I mean, I don't ever see them again. Not on purpose anyway." He saw her eyes grow wide as the words left his mouth and he realized that they probably only made him sound worse. He slid a hand over his face and sighed. "Fuck. I bet you think I'm an asshole."

Her expression softened and her voice grew tender. "No, actually I don't. I've thought a lot of things about you tonight, but I promise that isn't one of them."

He had been a step or two ahead of her as they were walking, but he stopped when she said that and stood in front of her. He locked his eyes on hers. "What kinda things have you been thinking about me?"

His face was inches away from hers. She reached out and placed two hands on his chest and put a little more distance between them. "Easy, Romeo. That little moment from earlier in the pool hall has long since passed."

He took a step back, realizing how it must have seemed stepping into her space like that, but he hadn't been trying to come onto her. He was genuinely intrigued about what she had been thinking, especially if it wasn't bad. His head suddenly fell, though. He realized that her saying the moment had passed had probably been a result of him almost going home with that girl he gave the cigarette to. "Is it because I almost left you there with Maggie and Glenn?'

She tilted her head and there was thoughtful look on her face. She didn't answer his question, though. Instead, she posed one of her own. "Why didn't you go with her?"

He swallowed hard. He hadn't been expecting that response at all. "Um…I don't know." He waited for her to respond or to start moving again, instead she just stood in front of him. Her big blue eyes locked on his, not backing down until he was willing to give her an answer. He felt like she would see straight through any lie he told and her stare had his heart beating faster than normal. "It just…it didn't feel right to leave you there." He muttered.

"Because my brother would be pissed at you?"

"No." He responded immediately. "It ain't got a damn thing to do with Rick."

She took a deep breath, then finally looked away from him. "Thank you." She replied quietly, then started walking again.

He followed in pace behind her. "You ain't gotta thank me."

"You gave up getting laid for me. I think I kinda do."

He wanted to say maybe not and stop and kiss her, but he knew that was a bad idea. It wasn't like anything could happen. Rick was probably home by now, and even if he wasn't, he had almost left with another girl and she knew it. He just decided to stay quiet and keep walking.

"She was pretty." Carol said, as they rounded another block.

"She was alright." He dismissed.

"That's what you call alright? You must have pretty high standards."

"She wore too much damn make-up and she had a fake tan. I'd bet money her tits are fake and they probably cost more than my bike. I mean, she was decent looking, but she ain't all that…you look way better." He almost smacked himself in the head for adding that last part out loud. He felt his cheeks flush and he didn't dare turn around to face her. Damn all that alcohol he'd drank earlier.

"Flattery isn't bringing that moment back, Dixon."

He turned around slowly to face her, his cheeks still red and the tips of his ears burning like they were on fire. "I meant what I said. I may get around a lot. Ain't no need for me to try and even lie about it, but I don't say shit that ain't true just to get laid. People can think what they want about me, but that ain't who I am." He turned back around and started walking towards the house again. They were finally on the street they lived on. She hadn't said anything else yet and he'd wondered if he'd upset her again. Maybe he'd said things harsher than he meant to.

"Looks like Rick's home." Carol pointed out, as they made it up the drive way.

Daryl looked under the carport and noticed Rick's car. The house was dark, not a single light was on. He assumed he came home and went to sleep after that movie he and Michonne saw. He found himself surprised he hadn't called to check up on Carol before bed. "Guess he's asleep." Daryl mumbled. He went to turn the door knob, but it was locked. He reached in his pocket and grabbed his keys. As he was going to unlock the door he felt Carol's hand reach out and grab his arm. He turned around and faced her.

"You wanna know what I think about you?" She said softly.

He shrugged and looked down, he almost expected it to be bad after how quiet she'd been the last block to the house.

"I think you're a really sweet guy, Daryl."

He looked up at her scowled. "Is this one of those sarcastic comments you make?"

"No. It's not." She assured him, firmly. "You showed more respect and concern for my feelings tonight than my ex did almost all of our relationship, and you barely know me." She looked at him hesitantly, almost unsure of what she wanted her next move to be. She slowly leaned up and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek, all the while keeping her other hand on his arm. She gave him a shy smile as she pulled away and let go of his arm.

The feel of her lips pressed against his cheek was a strange sensation. He'd been kissed a lot of places before, but he was sure that his cheek had never been one of those places. He hadn't expected himself to enjoy it so much. To feel a wave of electricity shoot through his body at such an innocent act. To have his heart start to pound and sweat begin to line his palms. He awkwardly brought his thumb up to the side of his mouth and bit at his cuticle. "We better get inside before Rick comes out here." He mumbled.


	10. Chapter 10

**(I've been struggling with what I wanted the next chapter to be the past two days. Sometimes I can write like crazy without getting stuck, other times I get stuck on the tiniest details. Plus, I couldn't concentrate for anything yesterday, so that didn't help. Here's to hoping this finally came out right. I'm still not sure I'm completely happy with it, but I officially give up on re-writing it, haha. Thanks for reading and reviewing!)**

Currently, it was early Monday morning and Carol was getting ready to go to Greene Animal Clinic to put in her resume and interview with Hershel. She was a little nervous to say the least, but she was excited too. Her life was so vastly different than it was only a week ago, but she somehow found herself feeling okay with that. As she started putting on her make-up that morning she let her mind wonder to her weekend and to the boy still asleep in the room next to her.

After she kissed Daryl on the cheek at their front door Saturday night the two had gone inside and gone straight to their rooms. Once her head hit her pillow she was out like a light. It was the first time she'd gotten a full night's sleep in days. She supposed she had the alcohol to thank for that. It was also the first night she'd gone to bed without the image of her ex and his secretary flooding her mind. She wasn't focused on that when she stepped inside that night in the least.

Instead, she was focused on how great of a day she'd had. How much fun she'd had going around town with Daryl, how happy she was about meeting Maggie and Glenn and possibly having found a female friend here, how excited she was about more than likely having a job lined up at the vet clinic, how good she'd felt flirting with Daryl at the pool hall, and how it had honestly meant the world to her when he could have gone home with that girl and didn't because he somehow knew it would hurt her feelings because of everything she'd been through.

She'd meant what she said on the porch that night before she kissed him on the cheek. He was a really sweet guy. Maybe he did sleep around a lot. Maybe he wasn't the type of guy that would ever even consider being in a serious relationship, but she didn't think that made him a bad guy. In fact, she thought it made him more honest that most people. He didn't lead girls on, he didn't give them a false sense of love and security. He was with them for a night and he got what he wanted and they got what they wanted and that was it. Whatever girl he slept with wasn't going to have her hopes and dreams dashed by him six months down the line and neither was he. He was going to get off, the girl was going to get off, and then they'd both go on living their own happy little lives. Sure, maybe he didn't give a damn about these girls, but it wasn't like they knew him well enough to give a damn about him either. She couldn't mark him off as a bad person for that. She just couldn't.

There were things that made her see he was a really good person, though. The way he was fine with Rick bringing her into their home without hesitation because of the simple fact she was his sister. The way he'd taken her to look for jobs and bought her lunch yesterday, even though he didn't have to, then he'd let her spend the entire night with him. The way he'd been so concerned about Maggie and Glenn not driving home from the bar last night and how he still told them to stay safe even after he knew they'd be walking. Those were the little insights that had her painting a picture of who she thought he really was. A compassionate, smart, young man.

It was just something that seemed to make her want to sleep with him even more. She knew what she was getting with him, so she knew how to protect herself from getting hurt. She wasn't fool enough to believe there could ever be anything real there with him. He wouldn't let himself feel that with someone, and that was okay, hell she didn't want to feel that.

She was curious though, as to why he didn't want to feel it. Ed was her reason, she wondered what his was. Rick talked like he'd never had a girlfriend before, but something had to make him this way. Maybe it had something to do with why he got upset when she asked him if he ever went home and didn't wanna talk about it. Maybe there was some girl back home that broke his heart.

She was quickly interrupted from her thoughts when she heard a knock on the bathroom door.

"Hurry the fuck up. I gotta piss." Daryl grumbled from the other side of the door.

"I'm almost done." She called out, as she quickly applied some dark eyeliner.

"You been in there a fucking hour."

She snatched the door open, scowling at him. "You're a guy, you can pee off the back porch."

"Before you moved in I could piss in my own damn toilet whenever I wanted." He was wearing a mean look, but he quickly turned the corner of his lips up so she'd know he was kidding.

She playfully punched him in the shoulder. "I'd tell Rick to trade rooms with me so I could have the big bathroom all to myself, but I have a feeling our rooms being so close might come in handy one day." She winked at him as she walked past him.

()()()

He let out a low growl, watching her carefully as she walked off. She had on skirt that was just above her knees and a button up dress shirt that was buttoned up one button too high in his opinion. He stepped in the bathroom and went to pee, cutting the shower on as he did. When he was done peeing he stripped his clothes off and let the hot water soak his body.

After she'd kissed him on the cheek Saturday night he'd tried like hell to avoid her Sunday. He wasn't sure what exactly it was that he felt when she'd done that, but the way his heart sped up and his palms began to sweat was definitely a foreign feeling to him. And it was one that scared him shitless, because he didn't know what the fuck it meant. He decided he needed some fresh air. Some time to himself.

He'd gone to Hershel's farm and spent hours in the woods with his crossbow Sunday. He'd came home just before dark and brought a slew of squirrels with him. He bolted straight from his bike to the back porch and started cleaning them. When he'd finished he'd gone straight to his room and started working on homework. Carol and Rick had been gone when he got home from hunting. They'd gone out to eat with Maggie and Glenn. Rick had dropped her back by the house around dark and then gone to the library to work with a partner on a project for one of his classes. Carol had ended up coming and knocking on his damn door to bring him some food they'd picked him up from where they ate at.

He should have just taken the food and said thanks. His head told him to take his food and say thanks and to just stay in his damn room the rest of the night and fuck around on his laptop. It would have been the smart thing to do. Instead, though, his dumb ass somehow ended up asking her if she wanted to watch Netflix with him. Of course she smiled and agreed and the two had ended up watching shows and talking.

And it wouldn't have been that damn bad if they'd have just gone in the living room. He could have sat in the recliner and she could have sat on the couch and it would have been just fine. But nope, they didn't do that. They stayed in his damn room and watched the shows on his fucking laptop…in his damn bed of all places. His bed that he'd never allowed a female to be in before.

He didn't know what it was with her, but he couldn't think clearly around her. Hell, he couldn't stop thinking about her period. Even when he was hunting he'd think back to some damn moment he'd shared with her the past few days. Now, here he was in the shower, thinking about her again. And of course she'd had to wink it at him and add that suggestive comment.

Thinking back to her comment and the way she winked at him, it suddenly hit him. He'd never been around a girl this long that he wanted to fuck, but hadn't had the chance to do it yet. That's why he couldn't stop thinking about her. He just needed to get with her and get it out of his system. Some other girl wouldn't do either. It had to be her so he could stop thinking about her. Stop wondering about her. Sure, Rick would be mad if he found out, but Carol had said herself that her brother didn't need to know everything about her. If she wanted to sleep with him and he wanted to sleep with her then it wasn't any of Rick's damn business.

()()()

When Daryl got out of the shower and put on clean clothes he started on his way to the kitchen. Carol and Rick were walking out as he was walking in.

"I'm gonna take Carol to the clinic." Rick said, stopping in the door way. "You'll be able to take her home this afternoon if she gets the job, right?"

Daryl nodded and turned to look at Carol. "Yeah. You can just ride home from work with me."

"Thanks." She said, giving him a small smile. "Oh, there's sausage biscuits in the microwave for you. There's jelly in the fridge for them."

"Thanks" He said, giving her a small smile of his own.

"You ready?" Rick asked, looking to Carol.

She nodded, but suddenly remembered she left her phone in her room. "Shit, let me get my phone."

"I'm gonna go ahead and get in the car. I'll see you later on." He told Daryl with a wave.

Daryl walked over to the microwave and grabbed his food. He noticed Carol run out of the hallway out of the corner of his eye. "Hey?" He called out.

She stopped and walked towards the kitchen. "Yeah."

He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I just wanted to…uh…to say good luck this morning…and to say you look really nice."

Her eyes lit up and she couldn't help the smile that spread across her face at his words. "Thanks, Daryl. I'll text you and let you know how things go." She started to walk away and paused before heading out the door. "Oh, and if you think I look nice in this, you should see what I look like without it."


	11. Chapter 11

**(Here's one more for you guys since you're all so great and leave me such lovely reviews. I know I'll be busy all day and when I get home I'll be watching TWD and won't have time to write after, so I'm sacrificing my sleep right now to indulge you all once more this weekend. Enjoy.)**

She hadn't waited for Daryl to respond to her comment before she slipped out the front door. She almost felt a little bad for all the sexual remarks she kept throwing at the guy.

Almost.

She knew it was probably driving him crazy. She kept imagining him in her head, like a cat ready to pounce on a string its owner was dangling in front of its face. She was going to keep throwing them at him until he did just that. She just wondered how long it would take for him to make a move. She looked over at her brother as he was driving her to clinic and she briefly considered the fact that he might not ever act on his impulses because of their close friendship. Then again, he was a guy. She hadn't met one yet that would turn down a piece of ass that was dangling in front of him.

She felt the car slow down and come to a stop. She looked up and saw a large white building with a fenced in area and a big white sign that read Greene Animal Clinic in bold, black letters. Her normal confidence level was not up to par and she had a nervous feeling bubbling in the pit of her stomach.

She wanted this job so bad. She was ready to start contributing to rent and grocery money. She was ready to get a car and feel a sense of independence again. This job was her key to all of that. She couldn't help feeling out of her comfort zone, though. She'd never worked in a vet's office before and she didn't have the slightest clue about a lot of the medical terminology when it came to animals. What if they didn't want to hire her because of that?

"You alright?" Rick asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.

She nodded and forced a smile. "I'm good."

"You've always been a horrible liar." He chuckled. "Relax. Don't be so nervous. Hershel is a really nice guy and I'm sure you're just what they're looking for. Maggie wouldn't have gotten you so hyped up about it if she didn't think so too."

She took a breath. "I just want this really bad."

"Yeah, I know you do." He said, then pulled her in for a hug. "You'll get it. Stop worrying so damn much. Pull out that smart ass, I can do anything, attitude of yours and go rock this."

She tightened her grip around Rick before letting him go and this time she was able to give him a genuine smile. "Wish me luck." She said, reaching for the door handle.

"Good luck." He called out. "But you don't need it!"

()()()

She walked into the clinic, clinging her resume in her hand. It was early in the morning and there was only one client in so far. It was a woman with a small dog sitting in her lap that was anxiously wagging its tail as Carol stepped inside. She walked up and spoke to the woman and gave the dog the attention it was desperately craving. She then stepped towards the receptionist desk and put on her most confident smile. "Hi, my name's Carol Grimes." She introduced herself to an older woman with graying hair. She had a pleasant smile and very kind eyes.

"I'm Annette Greene." The woman replied. "Are you the young woman our Maggie was telling us about this weekend?"

Carol nodded. "I am. Is Maggie your daughter?" She asked, curiously. She knew Herschel was her dad, but she didn't know her mom worked here too.

"Well, technically I'm her step-mother, but I've been married to her dad since she was fourteen and I love her just like she's my own."

Carol just smiled and nodded some more. Slightly unsure of what to say in response to the woman's in depth explanation.

"Anyway, I'm rambling, dear. Let me go get my husband and let him know you're here. Why don't you have a seat?" She pointed to a chair near the reception desk. "Oh, and I'll take that." She pointed to her resume.

Carol handed the woman her resume and did as she said and took a seat. She found a health magazine and started thumbing through it. She hadn't gotten very far when she heard a man call out to her.

"Good morning, Ms. Grimes." The smiling man with white hair and a white beard beamed. "If you're ready to come back you can follow me."

She had expected for the man who was potentially going to be her boss to intimidate her or make her more nervous, but he didn't. Not at all. He also bore very kind eyes and a welcoming smile. He almost reminded her of a thinner version of Santa Claus. He looked nothing like the rigid business men she worked for in New York. "Good morning, Dr. Greene." She stood up and extended her hand to him. "It's so nice to meet you. Maggie told me so much about you and your place this weekend. It's really nice."

He returned her hand shake and gave her another kind smile. "Well, thank you. I built it myself thirty years ago. I started out much smaller, but God's been very good to me. I was blessed enough to expand it and make it what it is today."

She watched as he began to walk towards the front entrance, but took a turn down a hallway. She followed after him and was led into a small room with a couch, a desk and closet. There were animal paintings hanging on the wall and various decorations she assumed his kids had made when they were younger. She spotted one with Maggie's name on it then others with the names Beth and Shawn.

"Have a seat." He told her, motioning for the couch, as he took a seat in the chair that was under his desk. He let her take a seat before jumping into conversation again. "So, Maggie tells me that you're Rick's sister and you just moved back from New York and right now live with him and Daryl."

"That's right. I just ended a four year relationship with a man I met my freshman year of college and I decided I wanted to come home and be near family. Rick didn't hesitate to let me come stay."

"From what I know about your brother he's a fine young man and I think the same of Daryl. I know you probably don't know him very well yet, but I think the world of that boy."

She couldn't help but smile at the man's words and the way his face lit up talking about Daryl. She thought back to how much he told her this man had helped him and she knew they had to have a pretty special relationship that somehow beyond extended boss and employee. "I'm getting to know him and I can see why you feel that way."

"He stopped by the house Sunday to do some hunting. I asked him what he thought about you working here."

She shifted nervously. He hadn't mentioned that to her at all. "Oh, really?"

He saw how she seemed to grow uncomfortable and let out a small, rumbling laugh. "Don't worry. He had a lot of nice things to say, just like Maggie did. If not more."

"He did?" She said, not hiding how touched she was.

"He did and I take what he says pretty seriously. Daryl isn't the kinda person who likes a lot of people. Especially new ones. I know he wouldn't have said the things he did if they weren't true. Between him and Maggie, and what I've seen on your resume, I'm ready to offer you this job, that is, if you want it."

"Are you serious? Yes, I want it. Thank you so much!" She squealed. She wanted to jump up out of her chair and hug the man, but she figured that might seem inappropriate.

Hershel chuckled at her excitement. "I like your enthusiasm, Ms. Grimes. I hope you can keep it when you're dealing with tough clients."

"Oh, don't worry. I can handle people who try and give me hard time."

"Good." He stood up to leave, but stopped, eyeing her curiously. "Can I ask you one thing?"

"Yes, sir. Anything you want."

"You mentioned you met your ex as a freshman in college, but I didn't see a degree on your resume and Maggie or Daryl didn't mention you still being in school. Did you finish or are you still working on it?"

Her face fell and she felt that tightness in her stomach return. She didn't want to admit she dropped out, but she didn't want to lie to her new boss either. "I was a biology major my freshman year. I wanted to be a doctor, or I thought I did. I met my boyfriend at the time and I got really wrapped up in him and our relationship. My grades slipped and I lost my scholarships. I didn't go back after I finished my first year. I was young and stupid." She confessed, her tone much quieter than it had been before.

"It takes a smart person to know they made a mistake and admit it. You're young, you've still got plenty of time to correct it." He said, warmly. "Since you aren't in school at the moment, would you be willing to work full time? 8 in the morning until closing. We lock our doors at 6 and don't let anyone new sign in and then we leave when the last person is seen. You get two Saturday's and two Thursday's off a month. We rotate that schedule out, but I'll add you to Daryl's rotation since I know you'll be riding with him."

"I'd be more than happy to work full time!"

()()()

Daryl was sitting in his biochemistry class, anxiously shaking his leg and twirling his pencil. He hated this class. His professor had the most monotone voice ever and he swore the man could drone on forever with a lecture. Daryl hated lecture days. He hated note taking. He loved going to the lab and actually doing experiments, but anytime he was confined to a desk it was a slow form of torture for him. Today especially seemed to be.

Primarily because he kept wondering how things went for Carol at the clinic this morning. It was almost nine and he still hadn't heard from her yet. The other reason the day was seemed so torturous was because of that comment she'd made on her way out the door this morning and the one she'd said before as she walked past him after she left the bathroom. Sure, her voice had a hint of playfulness with both comments, but he knew a part of her was serious, too.

There wasn't a doubt in his mind she'd turn him down if he tried anything, and he was damn sure going to. He just didn't know when. The problem was, Rick didn't go a lot of places without Daryl. Nowhere he wouldn't have to worry about the guy busting back up in the house randomly and catching them, anyway. He never thought he'd think this in a million years, but Daryl all of a sudden wished Rick was still with Lori. If he was, at least he'd be at her place some nights and he would have some time alone with Carol so he could finally get with her and make all of these strange thing he was feeling go away.

"Daryl! Hey Daryl?"

He almost jumped at the sound of his name being called and he jerked his head and looked over to where Glenn was sitting beside him. "What?" He barked.

"Class is over, dumbass." Glenn spat back. "You've gotta go to animal physiology and I've gotta go to inorganic chemistry."

Daryl looked around and noticed the classroom that was now basically empty, other than him and Glenn. "I must have zone out." He mumbled.

"What's up with you today?" Glenn wondered aloud. "You seem edgy."

"I'm good, man. Just tired. I gotta get to class before I'm late again. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, see you." Glenn replied, scratching his head as his friend walked off. Something was up with him, and he had a strong suspicion he knew exactly what it was.

()()()

Daryl was darting to his next class that was on the second floor of the building when he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He reached for it and glanced at it quickly, noticing a text from Carol. He didn't hesitate to pause and read it.

" _I meant to let you know sooner, but I got really busy with training and am just having a second to breathe. I got the job =] I can't thank you and Maggie enough_."

"Congratulations! _But it ain't got nothing to do with me and Maggie. He hired you because you're a total badass."_

" _Yeah, whatever! Anyway, I gotta go. I just wanted to share the good news with you first. I'll see you at work in a little bit. Oh, and you're so gonna help me celebrate."_

" _See you shortly."_ He paused and contemplated on whether or not he should send add the next part. He finally said fuck it and just did _. "Yes, ma'am ;) We can celebrate however you want."_


	12. Chapter 12

**Thank you so much to everyone who reads my fics and leaves me kind reviews. Writing this is my happy place right now.** **So are all the other wonderful fics on here. So thanks to everyone who shares their work, too!)**

Carol was liking her first day on the job so far. Sure, she'd only been there a few hours, but it was going well. They'd shown her how to get people checked in using their system and she'd caught on to it pretty quickly. They told her to get used to checking people in for the first few days and then they'd let her start checking people out and handling transactions later in the week. They also wanted her to become well versed in the prices of regular procedures, medications, and products they sold in order to better answer client questions.

They'd given her lists with prices and told her the basics about them, but she planned to get Daryl to educate her even more on everything and even on things they hadn't told her that she had to know. She wanted to impress Hershel and let him know how serious she was taking this job and how grateful she was for it.

Hershel's wife was the head client care specialist, which meant she was training Carol and she worked right up front at reception with her. The woman was good with clients. Always smiling at them and welcoming them with that southern charm she carried herself with. She seemed really nice so far, and she talked non-stop about her kids. Shawn, her actual son and her step-daughters, Maggie and Beth. You could tell she loved them like her own, just as she'd said. Carol couldn't help but find it endearing, because step-parents weren't always like that and the woman didn't have to be.

There was another client care specialist, too. Her name was Tara. She was about Daryl's age, but she wasn't in college right now. She hadn't quite figured out what she wanted to do with her life yet and didn't want to start college until she knew. Carol wasn't exactly sure what to think of her at first. She'd introduced herself this morning with a fist bump and a head nod. As the day went on and she talked to her more she thought she'd end up liking her. She seemed nice enough and had even shared a secret stash of Hershey kisses she had hidden under the counter with her.

Carol had just clocked out for lunch and was about to head to the kitchen when Maggie stopped her. She had just left class and gotten to the clinic to start her shift. "Hey, how's your day going?" She smiled.

"It's going great!" She smiled back. "I can't thank you and Daryl enough for this."

Maggie let out a laugh. "Yeah, I heard he really sang your praises this weekend."

"That's what your dad said. I had no idea he'd even talked to him about me."

"Me either." Maggie replied, honestly. "You two, you've kinda hit off, huh?" She was shooting her a knowing look.

She shrugged innocently. Pretending not to pick up on what Maggie was insinuating. "He's a nice guy. We're gonna be pretty good friends, I think."

Maggie was about to say more, but then Michonne walked through the door. She looked at Carol and then to Maggie and raised an eyebrow? "Fresh meat?" She asked, with a small laugh.

"I guess that's one way of putting." Maggie said, shaking her head. "This is Carol, Rick's sister. She just started working here today."

Michonne's eyes widened slightly and she shot Maggie a look. "So, this is the girl Daryl Dixon described as fucking beautiful?" She shot Carol a curious smile.

Carol felt her face flush involuntarily. She was definitely taken aback by knowing he said something like that to his co-workers about her. She wondered if it was followed by some lewd comment or some dirty thing he'd like to do to her. The way Rick described him he wouldn't have said something like that without adding that extra piece. "That'd be me." She smirked. "And you are?" She looked to Michonne and raised her eyebrows.

"Sorry. I'm Michonne."

Carol looked the woman up and down upon hearing her name. So, this was the girl her little brother had gone to the movies with the other night. She was athletic looking. Her arms were more toned than some guys she knew. She was definitely a girl who Carol assumed could handle herself. She wasn't manly looking though, she was a beautiful. "So, you're the girl my brother went out with this weekend?"

Michonne cocked her head. "We went to a movie…as friends." She replied carefully. "If I recall, your brother invited you, but you wanted to go downtown with Dixon instead."

Carol titled her own head and laughed, but didn't reply. She could tell already that she was going to like Michonne. "I better get to lunch so I actually have time to eat. I'll see you two in a bit. Nice meeting you Michonne." She turned around to wave as she went to head out the door and almost smacked clean into someone who was coming in it. She felt a pair of hands go to her hips and was almost too afraid to look up, worrying that it'd be Dr. Greene. When she heard the laugh she immediately knew it wasn't.

"We gotta stop smacking into each other all the damn time." Daryl laughed. "If you wanna be this close to me, all you gotta do is ask."

She looked up and met his eyes. They were looking straight into hers and he was wearing that sexy, side-ways grin of his. His hands were still low on her hips and she suddenly felt a rush of electricity shoot through her. They were so close that his hips were practically pressed into hers. She pulled back on her bottom lip, momentarily forgetting where she was. She was two seconds away from leaning up to kiss him when she heard someone clear their throat.

"Six inch rule, remember?" Maggie muttered.

She looked up and saw Daryl snatch his hands away quickly. His face turned crimson and she knew her own face was." I gotta go to lunch." She mumbled, shooting past Daryl quickly and bolting out the door.

()()()

Daryl had pretty much kept his distance from Carol the rest of the day at work. He couldn't believe the little moment they'd almost had in front of Maggie, Michonne, a treatment room full of animals and Hershel's camera. He'd have died if Herschel walked in right then. He'd have thought Daryl was only trying to get her a job to help him get laid, and that couldn't have been further from the truth. He really thought she'd be good at this job and he knew she needed it. Although, that would be hard to convince someone of that if they'd just seen him with his crotch pressed up against hers.

Then there was that comment he'd made. Why the hell had he said that out loud with other people in the room? People that knew Rick, no less. Just another example of him not thinking clearly around her. He was rather hopeful that her idea of celebrating for this job involved him, her and a bed so he could get this shit out of his system and be him again.

He and Michonne were currently alone in the back, re-stocking before they could leave. Carol was out front waiting on him since she'd finished up her part of the job at six after there was no one left to be checked in. She'd stayed up front and observed Tara doing check outs until she went home. Then she'd come in the back and bummed a cigarette and lighter off him and headed outside to wait for him to get done. He was just about to finish putting the last of the vaccines in the refrigerator when he looked over to Michonne who was re-stocking the syringes. "Hey, I need to ask you to do something for me."

She cut her eyes at him and smirked mischievously. "Sorry, Daryl. I don't think you and I should go there. Might be awkward working together after, but I'm flattered."

"Shut the hell up." He growled. It wasn't that he didn't think she was an attractive woman, she was, but she'd never been the type of girl he'd go after. Then again, Carol wasn't his usual type either and that didn't stop him from wanting her.

She just chuckled to herself at his annoyance. She'd never considered going there with him. She knew his reputation and one night stands weren't her thing. He was a cute guy, but she didn't see him like that at all. "What do you want, Dixon?"

He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "What you saw earlier with me and Carol….just don't say nothing to Rick about it. It ain't what it looked like. We just joke around like that."

"Right. Yeah. I joke like that with my friends, too. You should have seen me and Maggie in surgery earlier. I had my hands on her hips and I was staring deep into her eyes and then I licked my lips and I was about to kiss her, but I didn't, because I was just joking around."

He just rolled his eyes. "Damn it, Michonne! Rick will go ape shit if he thinks I'm gonna try something with his sister."

"Are you going to?" She challenged.

"No!" He spat back a little too quickly and it had her raising her eyebrows at him. "Just don't tell Rick. Okay?" He pleaded.

Michonne sighed heavily. "Look, I'm not saying anything, because I don't know anything. You're grown. She's grown. I could give two shits less what you do. But I won't look him in the eye and lie if he asks and I know something to tell him. Understood?"

Daryl nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Understood." He muttered. He stood up and brushed his hands off and reached for his keys in his pocket. "I'm finished up. I'm gonna head out. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Alright. See you." She replied, as she watched him walk away. Just as he got to the door she stopped and called out to him. "Oh, and Daryl?"

He turned around and stopped to look at her.

If something does happen, you better make damn sure it's worth Rick finding out." She warned.

He bit his bottom lip then turned and looked out the glass doors in the front of the building and saw Carol sitting on the brick side rails. She was swinging her legs back and forth and still smoking that cigarette. He then glanced back over at Michonne and didn't say anything. He just offered a small nod and took off for the door.

()()()

When she saw him coming she took one last, long drag of her cigarette and then tossed it to the ground and stomped it out. She picked the butt up and put it in an ashtray. He nodded at her to follow him and the two started walking towards his bike.

"How was your first day?" He asked.

"It was good. I like interacting with people and all of our co-workers seem pretty cool."

"They let you start checking people in. A lot of times they make new people sit there all day and watch."

"I'd have died from boredom if I had to do that. The last hour was hell just sitting and watching Tara."

"Yeah, I bet. I had to follow Maggie around my first day and I didn't get to do shit. I about went fucking crazy." He re-called.

She smiled thinking about him just sitting and observing. He was a hands on person, for sure. He always had to be doing something. Even at home. He was never completely still. He was always fidgeting or twiddling his thumbs. He seemed so in his element here today at work. Constantly going up front to get animals or return to them to their owner and explaining medicine. When she'd walked back through treatment to get to the bathroom he'd been drawing blood from a dog all by himself. He was so gentle with the dog and he was talking softly to it as he worked on it. It was a more tender side of him she hadn't seen firsthand. "You're good at your job." She pointed out.

He shrugged and blushed again. "No better than Maggie or Michonne."

She just shook he head. She didn't understand this boy at all. Someone who had enough confidence to meet a stranger and go home with them sure didn't like compliments very much. "Maybe." She mused.

They stopped in front of his bike and before he went to get on he stopped and looked at her. "I heard Hershel talking back in surgery. He seemed pretty impressed with how quick you pick things up. When summer time comes we always need extra help in the back. If you impress him enough between now and then he might move you back there if it's something you'd be interested in."

Her eyes lit up at the thought of learning more and actually working one on one with animals, but she didn't have a damn clue about being a vet assistant and she'd be lost. "I wouldn't even know what the hell I was doing."

"Yeah. I didn't either. You'd learn though. I can teach you some stuff when we ain't busy. Just little things so you'd know." He offered.

"Yeah? I'd like that." She smiled.

He smiled back and climbed on his bike. He was waiting for her to get on, but when he turned around she was standing there smirking at him. "What?" He asked, curiously.

She kept smirking and shook her head slightly. "You think that six inch rule still applies?"

"Maybe." He shrugged and shot her a suggestive smirk. "But it don't apply to me."


	13. Chapter 13

**(Thank you all for reading and reviewing! A special thank you to everyone who took the time out of their day to encourage me not to give up on the canon Caryl ship. I'm still struggling, but everyone's positive vibes really help with that. My spring break is next week. I think I'm going to get in touch with my shipper feels and re-watch season two and any Carol/Daryl centric episode I can think to remind myself of why I love the idea of these two so much. No matter what happens this season ,or after, I'll always think there was something there between them and that the writers could have struck gold by exploring it.)**

She'd stood there starting at him after the flirty little comment he'd made. She was pretty curious to find out if it was true or not. She hoped like hell it was. If her brother wasn't home she was planning all sorts of things in her head to do to him when they got back to their place.

"You gonna get on or you gonna keep staring at me like that?" He taunted, still smirking at her.

She swallowed hard and headed for the bike. Forcing herself to get a grip. This was still a strange thing for her, wanting someone so damn bad that she barely knew. After all, it had only been four days since she'd met him, yet aside from Rick, he probably knew her better than the majority of other any people in her life right now. She carefully made her way on the bike, quickly deciding a skirt may not have been the best choice of wardrobe considering how she had to get home. She slinked her arms around his waist as she'd done this weekend when she'd ridden with him.

However, this time she'd decided to get a little bold. Instead of leaving her hands around the outside of his shirt, she slid her arms under his shirt to secure herself for the ride home, slowly tracing her hands up and down his toned stomach. Stopping to run her fingers through the light trail of hair leading from his naval downwards. She felt him grow completely still before kicking the bike off and she heard him suck in a deep breath. She smiled to herself, and once again hoped her brother was nowhere to be found when they got home.

()()()

He internally cursed to himself as they rounded the corner of their neighborhood and he could see Rick's car sitting under their shelter. After spending the entire ride home with her running her hands all over his stomach he'd been ready to jump her the moment they walked in the door. Chills had ran down his spine at her touch and his heart had been about to pound out of his chest the entire ride home. Now, as they grew closer to the house, he felt her snatch her hands out from under his shirt and he couldn't help the wave of disappointment washing over him. As he pulled under the shelter, turned his bike off and pushed his kick stand out, he let his head fall in frustration as he felt her climb off the bike.

She couldn't miss the look of disappointment his entire body seemed to carry. Hell, she'd been feeling it ever since she'd noticed that Rick was already home. She should have expected him to be there and she should have known better than to be feeling all over him like that knowing it couldn't lead anywhere right now. She couldn't help it though. "Coming inside?" She asked, noticing his head was still hanging low and he hadn't budged from his position on the bike.

He slowly lifted his head and looked over at her then back down at the bulge in his pants. "I uh. I need a minute." He muttered.

"Sorry about that." She said, blushing slightly. "You wanna share another cigarette with me?"

He nodded and reached into his back pocket, pulling out one for the two of them to smoke together.

()()()

"So, get this." Carol began with a laugh as they finally made their way to the front door of their home once Daryl could effectively go inside without drawing attention to his nether region. "This older woman signed in up front to get her cat its yearly shots, right? She picks the cat up out of the carrier and starts showing her to me and I reach over and pet it and tell her it's pretty and sweet and everything. She agrees with me then starts telling me how this cat plays _Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star_ on the piano. I 'm just looking at, her waiting for her to smile or laugh and tell me she's kidding, but nope. She's being dead ass serious. She then goes on to say that this cat sings her to sleep every night with a rendition of _Hey Jude_ by the Beetles."

Daryl busted out laughing, knowing exactly which client she was talking about. Since he worked in the back and not up front in the exam rooms he hadn't as much interaction with her as some people had, but he'd never forget the one encounter he did have after taking the cat up to her after it was spayed. "Oh, I know who you're talking about and that lady is bat shit crazy. She told me once that the cat sees into the future and that she was going to help establish world peace. The bad thing about it is, she ain't the weirdest person that comes in there."

She cocked an eyebrow. "How can it possibly get any weirder than that?"

He shook his head. "There's one lady that thinks her Chihuahua is the antichrist." He looked down at his hand and scowled at a scar. "I kinda believe her. though." He mumbled, as he went to open the door.

As they stepped inside, Carol reached forward to grab his hand and take a look at his scar. "A small little dog like that did something like this to you?" She asked, her mouth gaping slightly at the size of the scar.

As she took his hand in hers the strange shock of electricity he'd felt when she kissed him on the cheek sparked back up again. Sure, he'd felt something similar on the bike when she was touching him, but that was different. What she'd been doing back there was clearly sexual. This wasn't, or it shouldn't be. He grew still once more, then locked his eyes on hers. "Mhm." He managed to get out, nervously tugging at his bottom lip.

"You have a good day at work?" Rick asked, in an almost dad-like tone as he entered the living room. The sight of his sister holding his best friend's hand in hers like that had him not knowing what to think. He had his arms crossed over his chest and he was shooting them both an expectant look.

Carol pulled her hand away from Daryl's quickly and offered her brother a small smile. "I had a great day. I love it there already."

"That's good. Real good." He said with a nod, shooting Daryl a quick look before glancing back over at his sister. "I got you something to say congratulations." He quickly stepped in the kitchen and came back out with a vase of flowers with a balloon tied to them that read congratulations. "I told you this morning you'd rock that interview and you didn't have anything to be worried about."

Carol felt her eyes water and immediately ran to Rick, pulling him in for a hug. "You know? For someone who was such an annoying little shit when we were younger you've turned out to be a pretty decent brother."

"Yeah. I know." He added, with a cocky smirk. "I got you a cake too and brought home takeout from the Chinese place around the corner. Why don't you guys come in the kitchen and we'll celebrate?"

Once they were all three in the kitchen Carol found an ice-cream cake waiting on her at the kitchen table. The cake was green with white icing and a four leaf clover. It originally read, Happy St. Patrick's Day, but written over it in icing was Congrats! She sent an annoyed look at Rick. "Are you really that cheap?" She rolled her eyes at him. "I swear you're just like your mother."

"They were half-off!" He defended. "It's the damn thought that counts anyway and it tastes the same."

()()()

After the three had eaten, Carol had let her food settle and then gone on a night time run. Daryl was going to grab a quick shower to wash all the smells he'd accumulated from work off of him. Before he could be go in the bathroom door, he heard Rick call out to him.

"You got a minute?"

Rick was wearing one of those looks like he wanted to talk about something serious. Daryl assumed it had to do with the hand holding scene from earlier and even partly wondered if Michonne had ended up telling him about what happened at work. "Yeah, I guess." He mumbled, then walked towards the living room.

Rick rubbed the back of his neck and sighed before beginning their talk. "So, you and Carol. You're uh, getting to be kinda close."

Daryl eyed him cautiously, putting up every defense he had to try and make everything seem as innocent as possible between the two. "We're friends." He replied, shortly.

Rick nodded. Studying Daryl carefully, as if he was trying to decide what he was thinking.

"I ain't slept with her if that's what you're getting at." He growled, lowly. He knew he was being defensive. In all honesty, he did feel slightly guilty knowing where things were going between them. Knowing if Rick hadn't been home he'd probably have fucked her right there on that couch tonight despite his promise not to touch her.

"I wasn't thinking that. I didn't mean it like that." He clarified. "Carol just told that you went out on a limb for her with Hershel and helped her get the job. Then with everything you did for her this weekend. I just…I wanted to say…thanks."

Daryl cocked an eyebrow. Trying to determine if this was a trap of some sorts to trip him up and admit all the things he'd been thinking about doing to her since moment he met her.

"She really could use good friends right now." He continued. "And I appreciate you being one to her since she's my sister. I know I was a dick and thought you'd try and sleep with her, and I should have put more faith in you than that." Rick let out a small laugh. "Honestly, it makes me feel better knowing you two are becoming friends. I know you don't sleep with girls you have to see twice."

Daryl froze. He hadn't really thought about the fact that he'd have to see her on a regular basis if they slept together. Hell, he'd practically be around her all the fucking time. That was like breaking his cardinal rule times a thousand. Then he felt even fucking more guilty because Rick was standing here admitting he was wrong to think he'd ever try anything with her. He couldn't let Rick pick up on any of that though.

He had to keep it cool. He started to feel panicked and didn't know what to say. The seconds it had probably been since Rick finished that sentence somehow felt like hours. "I don't just help her because she's your sister. I like her." He spit out quickly. Shit, what the hell did he just say? "I mean…I don't like her like that. I ain't ever liked anybody like that. I just mean..." He was searching for what to say, but he couldn't find the words. "Yeah. We're friends." He finally settled on.

Rick let out another laugh and tapped Daryl on the shoulder. "Stop being so nervous. I'm not an idiot. I know you still wanna sleep with her. My sister, she's pretty. I had to deal with comments from my friends in high school. That's why I thought you'd be all over her when you saw her. But I also know you're not going to because of me, and well because she lives here. So, again. Thanks for that and for being a good friend to her while she's here. Think about it all you want, as long as you don't act on it, we're good." Rick stopped and grimaced at the first part of his sentence. "Don't ever tell me about it, though."

()()()

He'd gone and gotten his shower after talking to Rick. Staying in there a little longer than he normally would have. He felt like he was trapped between a rock and a hard place. Maybe he shouldn't go there. Maybe he should talk to her and tell her they had to quit all this flirting stuff. It was a bad idea. Rick was going to flip out and it'd be weird as hell to have to look her in the eye the next day.

Fuck, this sucked. A part of him almost wished he hadn't said she could come live here. Then again, another part of him knew that wasn't fair and that coming here had been a really good thing for her. She already seemed so much happier than she had those first two nights she was here. It wasn't her fault he couldn't keep his dick in his pants.

He'd finally gotten out of the shower and ended up in his room studying. He had a quiz tomorrow, but he wasn't all that worried about it. Animal Physiology was his best subject and he actually had an A in that class. He knew he couldn't afford to let that drop, though. Biochem was kicking his ass right now and if ended up with a C he needed that A to maintain his academic scholarship. He was about to start his next set of notes when he heard a soft knock at his door.

"You busy?" Carol asked as she slowly opened the door.

He looked up away from his book and towards her. "Just studying. What's up?"

"I was just wondering if you had time to teach me some more stuff about vaccines and injections at work. I mean, I know the basics about the regular shots they get. Annette gave me a paper with prices and what they are for. I just…I wanted to a head's up on what the injections they get when they are sick and what some of the medicines are used for when clients ask me. I saw Tara stumble with a question someone asked today and they had to get Michonne to come talk to the client. I just…I wanna be able to impress them. I wanna do good here."

She'd almost been whispering by this point and her normal confident appearance usually saw her with seemed to be faltering. "I can help you out." He replied, softly. He knew how much he'd wanted to impress Hershel when he started. The man went out on a limb for him and Daryl was grateful. He had a reputation for not hiring people he didn't know. Carol was probably feeling the same way and wanted to live up to the good things he and Maggie said about her. Especially since they didn't really know her when they'd said them.

"Thanks." She looked down. "I'll let you get back to studying. Just let me know whenever you have time to help me out."

He glanced down as his notes and closed his book. "I got time now."

"Are you sure?"

He nodded. "Yeah, where do you wanna…." Before he could finish his sentence she'd climbed in the bed with him and was pulling out a notepad and pen of her own from her pajama pocket. She then reached in her other pocket and pulled out some fortune cookies they hadn't eaten earlier from the Chinese place. "Mind if I eat this in your bed?"

He swallowed hard at having her right here in his bed with him. She'd jumped in and made her damn self at home. That's what he got for letting her watch Netflix in here with him this weekend and not declaring it an off limits zone. "Can I get the other one?" He asked.

She tossed it to him and went to peel her wrapper back. She cracked it open and popped half of it into her mouth. She then grabbed the paper and went to read it. "You're about to begin a new and exciting journey." She let out a laugh. "I normally don't trust these, but I'd say this one is dead on."

He laughed too and opened his. He shoved the cracker in his mouth and then looked down to read his fortune. "You will soon find something you didn't know you were looking for." He crumbled the paper up and shot it towards his trashcan. "These things are so fucking retarted."


	14. Chapter 14

**(Here's another. Enjoy. Oh yeah, I don't own TWD or any of its characters.)**

He'd stayed up with her pretty late going over things about the clinic and just talking. When he finally glanced over at the clock it was a little after 1. He knew that they both needed their sleep. They both had to be awake by 6:30 or 7 in order to get ready and get to work/class on time. He knew if he didn't get to sleep soon that he'd be exhausted tomorrow. He'd told her goodnight and she'd told him thank you for the millionth time then gone to her room.

He'd expected to fall right asleep once she was gone. He should have been able to as late as it was. Yet, he'd tossed and turned for the longest time. He kept thinking back to that moment in the clinic earlier. Then her thought about her hands running up and down his stomach on the way home. Then he thought back to that strange feeling he got when she'd grabbed his hand. If something so innocent had that effect on him he was pretty sure he'd lose his damn mind when something finally happened for real. If something finally happened. Fuck. Why did she have to be Rick's sister? He wished Merle was a girl. He'd gladly let Rick hit it if it meant he got to hook up with Carol guilt free.

If those thoughts weren't troubling enough, another entered his mind as he shifted around in bed the millionth time. Why was hanging out with her so easy? He'd never met someone he could spend this much time with and not get tired of before. Not even Rick. If he didn't have to be up early he would have been fine staying there and talking to her all night.

He shouldn't have been. He shouldn't have been fine with her in his bed next to him like that, but he was. It seemed almost….normal. Except it wasn't something that should have been normal for him. Not at all and it confused the hell out him.

His mind finally settled down enough for him to pass out around 4 in the morning. He felt like he'd only been asleep for about thirty minutes when the sound of people yelling woke him up the next morning.

()()()

"I'm not fucking going with you!" Carol shouted. "And you shouldn't have told them I would."

"How can you be so damn selfish?" He spat back. "They're our parents. They want us both home for Easter."

She narrowed her eyes on him and snapped. "Rick, you know damn well why I don't wanna be there. How dare you call me selfish."

"She's family. You can't hold it against her for the rest of your life and it's not fair to dad either. All they want is for you to spend a weekend there. It's not gonna kill you. You haven't spent a single Easter there in four years and now you're only two hours away. There's no excuse not to go."

She clinched her fists together until her knuckles turned white and let out a deep breath. "You might be my bigger than me, but I will always be your big sister and I swear to God I will put you through this wall if you don't shut up and drop this. I'm not going and that's final."

Rick glared at her and then stomped off to his room and slammed his door.

()()()

Daryl had been about two seconds away from going in the living room and telling them to both shut the hell up so he could get back to sleep until he realized how serious the argument they were having was. He had no idea why she didn't want to go home, but from what he knew of her she had to have a good reason. She didn't seem like the type of girl that held grudges over little shit and bitched and moaned. Hell, he could relate to her. There was no way in hell someone could make him go home, not even Merle. He looked over at the clock and noticed it was already 6:30. He was about to push the covers off of him and climb out of bed when his bedroom door flung open forcefully. He instinctively snatched the covers higher up.

"I need you to take me to work." Carol barked. "I'm not riding anywhere with that asshole brother of mine." She shot him a look as she noticed how tightly he was gripping the covers to his chest and quirked an eyebrow at him. "Seriously, Daryl? I've seen you when you just got out of the shower and I'm pretty sure I'd be seeing a lot more of you than this if things would have gone liked I wanted them to when we got home yesterday if that little prick brother of mine wasn't here." She turned around and left the room without another word, letting the door slam on her way out.

()()()

She was pretty much still seething with anger on his way to drop her off at work that morning. He could feel her shaking as she held onto him on the ride there and she was squeezing his waist almost painfully hard. She hadn't said much else to him that morning. Just a snappy let's go once he was dressed. He was almost pissed at her for being so damn ill towards him when he hadn't done a damn thing to her. He hadn't even bitched at her for busting in his room this morning without knocking. He was fucking sleepy as hell and he wasn't exactly in the best mood either. When he pulled up to the clinic she practically jumped off the bike when they got there. He was about to leave without saying anything else to her, but then she called out to him before he drove off.

"Hey, Daryl?" Her voice was much softer than it had been.

"Yeah." He grumbled, as he turned to look at her with narrowed eyes.

"Thanks for dropping me off. I know I was being a bitch and what happened with me and Rick, it's not fair for me to take that out of you."

"Don't worry about it." He mumbled. "I'll see you later."

"See you later. Good luck on your test." She said and gave him an encouraging smile.

"Thanks." He replied, giving her a slight smile back.

()()()

When he'd gotten to work he'd noticed she was quieter than normal. She was still friendly with the clients and their co-workers, but she wasn't joking around and she had a sad look in her eyes all damn day. He didn't like seeing her like that. He was used to her spunky, bright personality.

When they'd gotten home she wasn't in a much better mood. She'd shot Rick a few death glares and then gone straight for room to change and go off on a run. When she'd come back she'd gone straight for the shower and then to her room. Ignoring her brother completely as she passed by him. Daryl didn't miss the fact that Rick was ignoring her, too

"What the hell is going on with you two?" He asked, looking over to Rick. "I heard y'all yelling this morning."

"Family stuff." Rick replied, shortly.

"Yeah, I got that much. "Daryl sighed. "Look, it ain't none of my business and I don't know what's going on, but if she don't wanna go home maybe you shouldn't be trying to make her."

Rick scowled at Daryl. "You're right, it's none of your damn business."

()()()

Daryl had gone to the back deck to get a cigarette. The tension in the house between the siblings was making him uncomfortable and now Rick seemed pissed at him for putting his two cents in. Daryl stood by what he said, though. Anyone who got that upset about the thought of going home shouldn't be pressured to go. He took a long drag of his cigarette and fell back onto the deck. It felt good outside tonight and he was much more content staying out here than he was in the house. Especially if those two started bitching at each other. After a while he heard the back door slide open and leaned his head back to see who it was.

"Hey." Carol said, quietly taking a seat beside him and reaching down to grab his cigarette. She took a long drag herself and then handed it back to him before falling down beside him.

The two stayed like that a long time. Laying on the deck in a comfortable silence just looking up at the sky. He glanced over at her occasionally, each time noticing the conflicted look in her eyes. He thought back to how she said she didn't like to go home when they were drinking and how she hadn't wanted to talk about it then. He wondered what was so bad for her back there that wasn't for Rick. They were raised by the same people. They had to have most of the same experiences. Rick was pretty close to his parents from what Daryl knew. "You wanna talk about it?" He finally asked after watching her in silence for a few more moments.

She just shook her head. "Not really."

He nodded and stared back up the sky. There was an eerie familiarity in her tone. It was guarded and pained and it reminded him of when he talked about his own home life. There was something deep going on and he wanted to know what it was. He wanted to know why she was so upset. He didn't like seeing her upset for some reason. He sighed heavily and ran a hand over his face. He couldn't believe he was about to do this. "I get you not wanting to go home." He said, softly. "I told you before, I don't like going home either."

"Yeah. I remember. You got pissed at me for asking why." She recalled.

He turned over to meet her eyes, but they were trained on the sky and she had her hands folded over her stomach. "You wanna know why I don't like going home?"

That got her attention. She quickly jerked her head and met his gaze.

He swallowed hard. He'd never told anyone this before. Not all of it. "My mom…she took off when I was 9 and my brother was 12. She met some asshole who worked for the railroad and dipped out on my old man. Hell, I can't say I blame the bitch for leaving. My old man was a real piece of work. He used to beat the hell out of her. The part that sucked was that she left us there with him." He added, slowly growing quieter. "He was mad as hell when she left. I thought the son bitch was mean before. I didn't know shit."

He didn't elaborate more. He didn't have to, though. She could tell from how strained his voice was, from the way his eyes grew darker talking about this, that it wasn't something that was easy for him to discuss. A realization flooded her at his revelation. He'd had his heart broke before by a woman, it was just the one woman that wasn't ever supposed to break his heart. No wonder he didn't do relationships. She didn't see how that woman could leave him and his brother in a situation like that and run off with some man. She slowly reached up and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry."

Chill bumps lined his arm at her touch, despite the warm temperature. He shifted uncomfortably and forced himself to steady his voice. "Ain't nothing to be sorry about. What happened, it happened. I got the hell out of there as soon as I could and I ain't going back. I think I'm doing pretty damn good for myself. A hell of a lot better than I could be doing anyway."

She scooted herself closer to him, bridging the distance between them to where they were only inches apart. Their shoulders were almost touching now. "You ever notice how Rick and I don't look very much a like?"

"Yeah, you look way better." He laughed.

"I look like my mom." She said, barely above a whisper.

Daryl shot her a confused look. "I thought I've heard Rick say he looks more like his mom than his dad."

She nodded. "He does. He looks like his mom and I look like my mom."

"Y'all ain't got the same mom?" He asked, his face scrunched up and confusion etched all over it. "Rick never mentioned that."

"He thinks it makes us less of brother and sister or something. I don't know. He doesn't like to talk about it. No one ever really liked to talk about."

"So you don't wanna go see your step-mom then? You don't get along with her?"

Carol shook her head and bit at her bottom lip. "My dad and mom weren't dating long when she got pregnant with me. They were two completely different people. He was older than her. She was barely eighteen when she had me and I guess she still wanted to party a lot. The relationship didn't work out and he met Rick's mom shorty after. They did the joint custody thing for a while. Apparently my mom stayed drunk a lot and my dad ended up getting primary custody of me. My mom and Rick's mom hated each other. I mean, they hated each other. I think she thought my dad still loved her or something. I don't know. I was little, but I can still remember them screaming at each other when I'd get dropped off or picked up. Anyway, one Sunday I get back to my dad's and that was the last time I ever saw my mom. When she took me back to him after the weekend" She stopped for a minute to compose herself. "She'd gone out with some guy. They were both drinking. They hit a light pole and that was it. She was just…gone."

"I'm sorry." He said, softly.

She didn't seem to notice what he just said. She just continued talking "Growing up, my step-mom always said bad things about my mom. She'd say she was a drunk or a whore. She'd say that I had to make sure I didn't end up like her. I was always expected to have straight A's in school, but it was fine for Rick to get by with B's. I wasn't allowed to date, because I might get pregnant. I was told that the guy I ended up having sex with needed to be the guy I was going to marry so I didn't get knocked up before I was ready and make the same mistakes my mom did. My dad, he didn't talk bad about my mom, but he didn't stop my step-mom from doing it. He never talked about her at all, actually. My step-mom would have flipped out if he did. I wanted to know things about her. Know who she was. Know what she was like. She couldn't have been all bad. You know? I can remember her reading to me before bed. I can remember her holding me and telling me she loved me. There had to be good qualities to her."

Daryl watched her closely. He could hear in her voice how close she was to bursting into tears.

"Anyway. When I started dating Ed and my grades slipped and I was drinking and partying a lot, when I went home that Christmas I got into it bad with my parents. I mean, they bitched me out, and I probably deserved it. I know I was being stupid. I know I was. My dad, he was so upset. I'd worked so hard in school. I graduated valedictorian of my class. I had a good academic scholarship and I had a track scholarship. I was throwing that away. So I get that they wanted me to do right. To get my shit together. That bitch, she crossed a line, though. When my dad left the room, she called me a worthless little whore and said I was going to end up pregnant and alone just like my little bitch of a mother. She said I looked just like her and I'd end up just like her and she'd always known I wouldn't be shit."

Tears were falling from the corner of her eyes and without thinking Daryl reached over and pulled her to him. She let her head fall on his chest and she curled into him. He ran a hand down the small of her back. "Rick's mom sounds a total bitch." He muttered.

She couldn't help but let out a little laugh as tears continued to fall. "I've been waiting my whole life to hear someone else say that."


	15. Chapter 15

**(This is totally not going to be short after all. I was thinking 20 chapters when I first started. I'm positive it will be longer than that now. Oh, well. Hope you all enjoy it being a bit longer. Thanks for reading and for the lovely, positive reviews. They all encourage me and mean a lot. Oh, by the way, what's the nine lives archive? Is it like a separate website?)**

Him putting an arm around her and pulling her close to him in an effort to comfort her had somehow resulted in her wrapping an arm around his waist and the two of them laying like that looking up at the star streaked sky in silence for the next five minutes. She shifted against him slightly, resting her head higher on his chest and then looked up at him. "Are you and your brother close?" She wondered aloud.

He shrugged his shoulders slightly. "We were real close when we were kids. He was all I had, you know? He went off to the army soon as he turned 18. I didn't see him much the next three years and by the time he was coming home from the army I was moving here for school. We don't see each other that much no more, but I mean, he's still my brother. He's the only family I got far as I'm concerned."

"Does he still live in your hometown?"

He shook his head, still staring off at the sky. "He don't stay in one place too long. He works construction right now. The company he works for goes all over the state. Last I heard he was about four hours from here near the Florida line. Who knows where he'll be next month. Last time I saw him was when he came up here around Christmas."

"You think he'll come up here to see you for Easter?" She asked, curiously.

He snorted. "Hell nah. We don't exactly do holiday's in my family. The only reason he came up for Christmas was because he had the week off."

She hummed. "My family is huge on holidays. They always have been. We'd do egg hunts when Rick and I were kids. We'd go to church on Sunday. I'd be forced to wear brightly colored Easter dresses, one's Rick's mom would pick out for me up until I was eighteen. "She laughed thinking back to how ridiculous most of them had looked. "Then we'd all eat as a family on Sunday. My family is the family that decorates their yard ever holiday…Every single holiday. Giant blow up Easter bunnies and all."

Daryl laughed out loud at the thought. It was such a contrast from what his own yard looked like growing up. It had never seen a damn decoration in its life and he honestly thought the idea was corny and lame. He didn't really understand the dynamics of a normal family or why most people wanted to be around their family an entire damn day. "We had beer cans in my front yard year round. Do those count as decorations?"

She placed a hand behind her head and propped herself up so she could look down at him. She felt sorry for him. Sure, she didn't like Rick's mom. She didn't like her at all. The woman resented her, and there was no doubt about it. However, Carol had a much more normal childhood than it seemed Daryl had. Especially to an outside eye.

The woman went to her track meets and school functions, she was there when she graduated high school, she made sure she had a hot meal to eat every night that she lived in that house. She was a hateful, spiteful bitch, but her family experience seemed more positive than Daryl's. Plus, she loved her dad. Her dad had always been good to her other than not talking about her real mom or not standing up to her step-mom. He took up time with her, supported her, and never laid a hand on her. He wasn't perfect, but he could have been a lot worse.

To be honest, part of her wanted to go home for Easter. She secretly missed those Sunday meals, the ridiculous decorations, the way her parents would probably beg her and Rick to dress alike even though they were grown so they could snap corny family photos. She really did miss it. She just didn't feel like going and having to hear her parents say they were right about Ed. She didn't want to have to hear her step-mom remind her that she ruined her life. She knew she'd jump at the chance to rub in everything that happened. She couldn't deal with that right now. "Well, this year it looks like we're spending Easter together. You wanna decorate? We can even get you a colorful Easter dress." She gave him a playful smirk, trying to lighten the serious mood she was putting herself in.

He looked away from the sky and met her eyes, rolling his own. "Stop." He mumbled.

She kept smirking at him. "We could just decorate the yard with beer cans then if that's more familiar to you."

Maybe that comment should have offended him. Coming from anyone else it probably would have. He knew her, though, and he knew she was just fucking with him. Her sarcastic sense of humor was one of the reasons her liked being around her so damn much. "You're a bitch, you know that?" He huffed, trying to act offended.

She shrugged innocently. "My dad always told me to do what I was good at."

"I got a feeling there's a lot more you're good at than that." He shot back, immediately realizing how that could have sounded. He hadn't meant it in sexual way. He really hadn't. Although he was pretty the sex between them would be pretty fucking amazing.

She was still propped up and looking down at him as the words left his mouth. He grew completely still and the corner of her lips turned up. He was frozen in place and although she didn't think he'd meant that comment in a suggestive way, the sexual tension had been building between them and she was damn tired of fighting it. It was late. They were outside, alone in the dark. Rick had to be in bed by now. She kept her eyes locked on his, studying him, trying to decide if there was any reason she shouldn't make a move. Slowly, she leaned down and was about to place her lips against his when the kitchen light coming on grabbed both of their attention.

She shot up and then she felt Daryl snatch the arm he had around her back away quickly. She could have sworn he flew two feet in the air in his attempt to get away from her. It was a good thing he did, too, because before she knew it the back door was sliding open and Rick was poking his head out.

"What are y'all doing out here?"

"Talking." She replied, dryly. Narrowing her eyes on her brother and placing her arms over her chest. Still clearly annoyed with him, though now more so than before, if that was possible.

He looked over to Daryl, who was a few feet away from his sister. He was reaching into his pocket and pulling out his cigarettes. "Talking in the dark?" He asked, with a raised eyebrow.

"It is night time ain't it?" He snapped, feeling slightly annoyed with Rick for bugging Carol about going home now that he knew why she didn't wanna go and found himself even more annoyed because he was pretty sure she'd been two seconds away from kissing him before Rick's dumbass poked his head out here. "Besides, the moon and stars are out. I can see just fine."

He looked back between the two one more time and then finalized his gaze on his sister. "Can we talk? Alone?"

She looked over at Daryl and then back to her brother and gave him a nod. "I'll be inside in just a second. We can talk in your room."

Rick nodded and stood in the doorway waiting on her.

She shot him a look and narrowed her eyes on him again. "I said I'll be inside in a minute. I don't need you to sit here and baby sit me until I get in. I wanna say something to Daryl that doesn't concern you, so go wait in your room." She crossed her arms over her chest and continued to glare at Rick. Almost daring him to challenge her.

She was speaking to him in such a scolding tone and Daryl was almost sure they'd end up in another shouting match right here on the back deck. Instead, Rick surprised him, and did as she said, walking away like a small child. He looked over and noticed a very satisfied smirk on Carol's face.

She continued to watch Rick walk away until she was sure he was nowhere in sight. She stood up and slid the back door open and reached inside to turn the kitchen light off for good measure. Once she did, she stepped back outside and went and took a seat right beside Daryl who was now sitting on the steps smoking. "Sorry about that."

"Siblings fight. No big deal. Me and Merle probably woulda been throwing punches by now." He chuckled.

She just shook her head and smiled at him. "Not that. I'm sorry he interrupted this." She placed a hand on cheek and leaned in and pressed a soft kiss against his lips. She didn't pull away immediately, instead she let her lips linger on his. Savoring the moment.

It was an innocent kiss. No tongue. Just her lips on his, and it didn't even last that long. But he'd be damned if he didn't think his heart was going to pound out of his fucking chest in that moment. He was almost glad she hadn't deepened it, because he wasn't sure he'd have known what to do if she had. His breath hitched in his chest and he was pretty sure he'd momentarily forgotten how to breathe. When she pulled away he was left staring at her, slightly stunned at what had just happened.

When they broke apart she was grinning from ear to ear. She'd been thinking about kissing him since Saturday and even though it wasn't a serious kiss, his lips had still felt damn good pressed against hers. She couldn't wait to see what a real kiss was like between them, but Rick was inside waiting on her and she didn't need him walking out here and seeing that. "Goodnight, Daryl." She said, standing up to go inside and talk to her brother. "And remember, it's just us this weekend." She looked back and winked at him as she walked away.


	16. Chapter 16

**Thanks for reading and reviewing. Oh, and Happy Easter to all who celebrate! I got to hunt eggs in the rain with my niece and nephew! Family days are always good days to me.**

She'd paused to stop and glance back at Daryl once more before stepping through the sliding door that lead back inside their house. He was still staring at her, an almost dumbfounded look on his face and it had her smiling to herself as she headed towards her brother's room.

For someone who was rumored to have so much experience with woman he almost seemed to not know what to do when it came to her. She'd halfway expected him to try and slip his tongue in her mouth when she'd kissed him. She damn sure wouldn't have objected. Instead, he'd sat there, perfectly still. It was almost like he hadn't known what to do next.

She chalked it all up to the fact that this was somewhat dangerous ground they were treading on. She knew deep down, no matter how much Daryl wanted her, he had to be leary of how the two of them hooking up would affect his friendship with Rick. She was sure any trepidation he had stemmed from that.

As she made her way into her brother's room she found him in his bed, leaned up against his headboard. He had his arms crossed over his chest and an almost perturbed look on his face. She wondered if he'd somehow seen what happened on the deck, despite her being careful to make sure he was out of sight and even cutting the lights off to ensure nothing could be seen once she kissed Daryl. "What's up? You wanted to talk?" She asked, quirking an eyebrow at him and taking a seat on the end of his bed.

"Yeah. I did." He sighed. "But before I get into that, what's up with you and Daryl?"

She shifted nervously. Maybe he had seen her kiss him after all. Maybe he'd seen her laying against him on the deck before he cut the light on. "What do you mean?" She replied, carefully.

He narrowed his eyes on her and was sending her that over protective brother vibe. "Why were you on the porch with him tonight?"

She watched Rick closely. Searching his face to see if there was any hint that he had seen something he wouldn't approve of. If he'd seen something, she decided he would probably be yelling at Daryl by now. He might suspect something, but she didn't think he had any evidence to back up a claim something that might be about to happen between them. She rolled her eyes at him, trying to play it cool. "We were just talking, Rick."

"And you needed to say something to him that you didn't want me to hear?" He raised an eyebrow at her.

"We were out there talking about why I didn't wanna go home, okay?" She snapped. "I stepped outside for some fresh air and he was out there smoking. He could tell something was wrong and he asked if I wanted to talk about it. I told him no and we sat in silence for a while. He told me some shit about his life and then I told him some shit about mine. All I wanted to do was let him know I appreciated him being there for me and listening to me. Not bitching at me and telling me what I need to do like you did." Okay, that was pretty much the truth, she thought to herself. Except for the fact she didn't mention she was smoking or the cuddling scenario or the kiss. But he didn't need to know about those things.

Rick sighed again and ran a hand down his face. "It's none of his business."

"It is now. I made it his business." She bit back. "He's your best friend and you never told him I was your half-sister?"

"Because I don't look at you like that." He said, softly. "You're just my sister."

He had a pained look on his face and Carol knew he didn't like dragging skeletons out of their family closet. She didn't either, but Rick had opened the damn door to the closet by trying to make her go home. "And you're my brother." She said, locking eyes with him. "And you know I love you, but you were out of line earlier and you pissed me off and it hurt my feelings that you don't understand why I can't go home."

"It's not that I don't get why you don't wanna go home. I do. I really do." He moved from his place on the bed and scooted down beside her at the end of the bed. "She was wrong. I know she was. She knows she was, too."

She scoffed. "Yeah, right."

"She does. Dad does too. They love you too and they miss having us both there. They miss us all being a family."

"If she's so damn sorry why hasn't she ever said it to my face?" She challenged, her own voice growing cold.

"You know how she is…"

"Yeah. I do." She saw Rick's face fall and she felt bad, because she knew it was his mom. No matter what, she was his mom and he loved her and she wouldn't stoop so low as to call her names in front of Rick. "Sorry. I just mean….she's never wanted me as a part of the family Rick. I just came along with Dad and she'd have been much happier if it was just the three of you."

He put an arm around his sister. "She loves you, maybe not like she should, but she loves you. You don't like each other, but I know you love her too."

She didn't agree or disagree with him. She just changed the subject. "They'll wanna talk about Ed. They'll say they were right." She paused and glared at him. "And I know they were right about him, don't even fucking say it. I just can't hear her say that. I can't hear her say she was right. I can't hear her tell me I ruined my life. Not right now."

"Okay." He reluctantly agreed.

"Okay? That's it? Okay?" She said, skeptically.

"You don't wanna go. I can't make you go." He threw his hands up. "Will you call them at least? You can hang up if you have to. You can flip her off the whole time you're talking to her and she won't even know it." He smirked.

She let out a small laugh. "I can call them."

"I'm holding you to that."

"I'll call, I promise. Right before church, okay?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Okay."

"Hey, Rick, tell dad I love him and miss him a lot and I'm sorry." She said, sadly.

He put his arm around her again and her head hit his shoulder. "I will."

()()()

Daryl had stayed on the back porch and chain smoked two more cigarettes after she'd gone inside. What the fuck was wrong with him? He'd acted like some fucking virgin boy when she'd pecked him on the lips. What the hell was that shit with his breath catching in his chest? That had never happened before in his entire life. She wasn't any different than any other girl he'd ever fucked. She had a pussy, just like the rest of them. The sex seriously couldn't be that much damn different with her than it was with anyone else, so why was her touching him so different? It had to be the anticipation. The fact that it felt wrong to even think about getting with her in the first place. That was all this all had to be.

He had to get a fucking grip. If he didn't he probably wouldn't be worth a shit when he finally got the chance to get with her this weekend. At the rate things were going he'd forget to fucking move when he got inside of her.

He made his way back inside, realizing how exhausted he truly was from not getting much sleep the night before. His body was wiped out, but his mind was still racing. It kept going back to the feeling he had when she kissed him, no matter how hard he tried to block it out. He had to sleep tonight. He wouldn't be able to sit through a boring ass lecture tomorrow if he didn't. He walked over to the cabinet and grabbed some Benadryl. Anytime he ever had to take it for allergies it knocked his ass out, he figured it wouldn't hurt to just take some tonight to help himself sleep.

'Good. You're still up."

He turned to see Rick standing in the kitchen with him. He shook the bottle in his hand. "Not for long, hopefully."

"Allergies or something?"

"Or something." Daryl mumbled.

"Pollen's getting to me, too." Rick said, stepping closer to his friend. "Thanks for talking to Carol earlier. She said she told you about our parents and why she didn't wanna go home."

Daryl grunted. "She needed someone to talk to. You were obviously public enemy number one at the moment."

"Yeah…we're good now though. I get why she didn't wanna go. I just…I want my family together again. All of us."

Daryl just shrugged. "Ain't that easy sometimes."

"I know." Rick said, as he ran a hand through his hair. "I think I'm gonna stay home with her this weekend."

Daryl's face fell at the thought of Rick being here this weekend. If he screwed up his chance of getting with Carol he'd put the fucker through a damn wall like she'd threatened to earlier. He wanted to get laid, damn it. He wanted to fuck her. He was going to go fucking crazy if it didn't happen soon. Especially if she kept feeling him up and kissing him when Rick wasn't around. "You should go home." He said, quickly.

"Carol needs me here."

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Damn it, Rick. Damn you to hell, Rick. How did he convince him to leave his sister without sounding suspicious? "She ain't gonna be alone. I'll be here." Smooth, dumbass, he thought to himself. He saw Rick crinkle his eyebrows at that statement. "I mean, come on. You're parents are already gonna be bummed enough she ain't there. You already told them you were coming. Plus, you already took off work. You've never not gone home for Easter."

Rick stood silent for a few minutes. "I know. You're right. I just…I don't want her to be alone. I mean, come on. We both know you haven't hooked up in a while and you never go home for holidays. It's the prime weekend for you to find some girl with daddy issues who stayed home out of spite and get an easy piece. She'll just be at the house alone and she needs somebody right now."

"I'll keep her company. I ain't gonna hook up with no other girl."

Rick shot him a disbelieving look.

"I swear, I won't. It'll just be me and her, all weekend."

Rick stood there in silence. "You swear you won't leave her alone. Not even for a second?"

"Already said I ain't going to."

"I know. I just wanted to make sure. I just don't want her feeling lonely and doing something stupid. I can't stand the thought of some guy taking advantage of her."

Daryl gave him a slight nod and swallowed hard. "I'm going to bed, this shit's kicking in and I'm about to knock out.

"Alright. Goodnight, Daryl."


	17. Chapter 17

Carol had just clocked out of work for the evening. It was Wednesday, and things hadn't been very busy. Well, at least not as busy as they'd been earlier in the week. It actually looked like everyone would get out of the clinic by 6:30 tonight. All of the clients were already cleared out of the lobby and Hershel had actually let her start checking people out on her own today. She'd picked up so well on prices and services they offered that she was already able to offer clients advice on her own without having to run to Annette or Tara to double check something. She hadn't missed the impressed look in Annette's eyes as she rattled off about the cost of annual shots and spays today and described, in detail, what each procedure consisted of.

Sure, it wasn't rocket science, but being knowledgeable about her work gave her a sense of pride she hadn't felt in a long time.

After she'd finished speaking with that client she'd glanced over to the left and hadn't missed Daryl smirking at her either. He was taking a dog from a client, but he was close enough to the front desk he must have heard the majority of what she was saying. He gave her a nod of encouragement as he walked by the front desk and grabbed the dog's treatment form on the way to the back. She'd nodded back and smiled at him.

She wouldn't have known all she did if he hadn't stayed up with her the other night going over all of these things with her. She felt like she owed him a lot. And she was damn sure planning on showing him how much she appreciated him once Rick left Friday.

He'd come to her that morning telling her he'd almost decided to stay home this weekend so she wouldn't have to be alone and she thought she was going to blow a damn gasket. She was wondering how many Tylenol P.M. it would take to knock him out for a few hours without killing him, but then she'd heard him say that Daryl volunteered to hang out with her and keep her company so he didn't have to worry. It had taken almost everything in her to keep a straight face when he said that. It dawned on her then that he really didn't have a clue how close something was to happening between the two of them. That was good, though. It meant she didn't have to worry about it ruining their friendship. They could fool around once this weekend and Rick would be none the wiser. Everyone would win.

"Hey. What are you doing tonight?" Maggie asked as she exited the clinic, breaking Carol out of her thoughts.

She just shrugged and offered her a small smile. "I don't know. Hanging out at the house with Daryl and Rick I guess."

Maggie shook her head. "Not anymore. You're coming out with me, Michonne and Tara."

"And where are y'all going?" She replied, raising an eyebrow.

"It's ladies night at The Buff. Dollar mimosas."

"You do realize I have to be here at 8 in the morning tomorrow don't you?"

"Tara does too and Michonne and I have class. We're just going to get a few drinks, no one's getting drunk. It'll give you a chance to get to know Michonne and Tara better. You've gotta be sick of hanging out with just Daryl all the time." She joked.

She glanced through the glass door and saw Daryl heading their way with Michonne beside him. She pushed a loose strand of curl behind her ear and gave him a small smile. "Not really."

Maggie turned and looked to see Daryl smiling back at her as he made his way closer to the door. Her eyes widened slightly and she smiled to herself. "Go home and change. I'll be over to get you in an hour. You can't say no. You owe me. I helped get you this job." She reminded her, as she walked away.

Daryl walked out the door and caught the end of the conversation. He shot Carol a curious look. "What was that about?"

"Nothing. Just getting black mailed into having a girl's night out." She groaned.

()()()

As soon as they got home Carol had gone to her room in search of something to wear. If she was going to be forced to go out tonight she felt like dressing up. Other than what she'd worn to her job interview, she hadn't gotten dressed up at all since moving here. She'd originally thought that being a receptionist was going to mean wearing dress clothes to work, but working in a vet clinic had quickly taught her that was useless. Even if she was up front, it didn't stop her clothes from getting covered in hair or even pee when she'd hold puppies for clients to sign in. Hershel had quickly offered her some of his clinic t-shirts and Maggie had given her some scrub bottoms to wear until she got her first check. She had to admit it was much more comfortable and easy to move around dressed like that.

As she rummaged through her closet she found one of her favorite dresses. It was pink and it came mid-way down to her knees. The back was cut out and it was split just enough in the front so the top of her cleavage was on full display. She took the time to apply some smokey eyeshadow and dabbed on a bit of lip stick before tossing on her high heels. She went and told her brother where she was going and let him know she'd be back later. Maggie had texted her to let her know she was outside and Carol told her she'd be right out. She ran to the bathroom to do a final check, and as she did Daryl was coming out of his room. He stopped in his tracks when he saw her.

"Good God!" He squeaked out, in a voice much higher than his normal tone. His eyes went up and down her and she could see him breathing heavier as he watched her closely, still unmoving.

"I take it you like the dress?" She asked, with a smirk.

He nodded slowly, his eyes trained on the split in the front. He found himself entranced by her right then. She was fucking beautiful, regardless, but now he couldn't take his eyes off her. He wanted nothing more than to throw her against the wall, but he knew her brother was twenty feet away in his bedroom. He suddenly grew uncomfortable, realizing she was going out drinking like this and knowing every damn guy in the bar would be looking at her and thinking the same things he was. "You trying to impress somebody?" He shot out. His voice came out defensive and jealous and it sounded so foreign to him.

She wasn't his and he didn't want her to be. He didn't want anyone to be his. He had no damn right to get mad at her for dressing up. So what if she wanted to meet someone tonight? She'd made it pretty clear she'd be with him this weekend and that should be all he cared about.

She quirked an eyebrow at him and folded her arms over her chest, studying him curiously, neither of them saying a word. "I think I already did." She finally said, before heading out to meet Maggie. She turned and looked back before fully exiting the hallway, he was watching her walk away and he had an expression on his face she couldn't read.

()()()

She was slightly worried she'd be a litter over dressed, but she wasn't. The other girls had on dresses too and had done their make-up. They'd all four ridden with Maggie on the way to the bar and made idle chit chat about work. Once they'd gotten to the bar and ordered drinks the conversation somehow turned to relationships. Of course Maggie was with Glenn and everyone knew that. What Carol hadn't known was that Maggie had been with Glenn since her freshman year of college. She'd planned on just hooking up with him. He'd been quite smitten with her since he saw her, but she didn't feel the same originally. He'd started to grow on her after their first drunken hook up and they'd been together ever since.

She learned Michonne was currently single and had been for about a year. She'd had a serious boyfriend named Mike back home, but they'd drifted apart after she moved here for college. She was focused on her education and Mike, well Mike had become focused on drugs. He got arrested for possession and intent to distribute and had actually called Michonne to bail him out. He became furious when she didn't and cussed her out over the phone. That had been it for her. She'd ended things and never looked back.

"So, what about you?" Tara asked, looking to Carol. "What's your story?"

She tossed back her second mimosa and pursed her lips. The story would have been too painful to talk about a week ago, but she was slowly finding herself less hurt by it and just more pissed off. Not even so much at him, but at herself for trusting him to begin with. "I had a boyfriend in New York. We dated for four years. About a week and a half ago I found out he was cheating on me with his receptionist and she was pregnant." She studied the women's faces as she told her story. Michonne had a look of pity on her face, but the information didn't seem new to her. She'd already told Maggie the story last weekend, so it wasn't new to her either. Tara however, looked quite surprised and genuinely devastated for her.

"I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have asked." Tara apologized.

Carol shook her head. "Don't be sorry. I'm better off. Trust me." She gave the woman a small smile to let her know she really did think that and she wasn't just trying to be strong.

"So are you gonna hook up with Daryl?" Tara asked, randomly.

Michonne choked on her drink and Maggie spit hers out at Tara's comment.

Carol just stared at her, dumbfounded. "Why…why would you think that?" She managed to ask after a few moments of awkward silence.

"I mean, it's Daryl." She laughed, looking to Michonne and Maggie for corroboration. "He hooks up with everybody. You're living there. You're on the rebound. You two stare at each other all the time. You can cut the sexual tension with a knife at work."

"Tara!" Maggie scolded.

"What? You know you guys are thinking it too, don't even lie."

Carol swallowed hard. "What do you mean he hooks up with everybody?" She looked to Michonne and then to Tara and shifted uncomfortably. "Has he…has he hooked up with you two?" She almost didn't want to ask, because the thought of him sleeping with girls she worked with made her uncomfortable.

Michonne and Tara looked at one another and busted out laughing.

"Um, I guess I should have mentioned this beforehand, but I'm a lesbian. I'd be more into hooking up with you." Tara confessed, still laughing at the thought of getting with Daryl.

"And I don't hook up." Michonne added. "Especially not with someone I work with."

"And Daryl doesn't either." Maggie added, sternly. "He doesn't hook up with everybody. He just…hooks up with random bar whores he doesn't ever have to see again." She added quietly.

"Well, I know that. Rick already told me he did stuff like that." She said, feeling herself relax a little. "So he hooks up with random girls every now and then? I don't see anything wrong with it. In fact, I get it. Everybody needs to get off sometimes and relationships suck."

Tara snorted. "If you can call hooking up with a new girl every few weeks every now and then."

Her eyes grew wide. "How many girls has he been with?" Carol asked, cautiously.

Michonne shrugged. "I don't know. Since I've known him I'd say at least one a month. At least. That's roughly…24 girls I know of, give or take depending on the month. Those are just the ones since I've known him. I don't know how old he was when he lost his virginity."

Maggie scowled at Michonne and Tara and quickly changed the subject. "So, Tara, how are you and your new girlfriend? What's her name?"

"Denise?" Tara beamed, then began going on and on about her.

Carol wasn't listening, though. All she could think about was Daryl and the at least 24 other girls he'd been with. When Rick said he got around she hadn't realized how much. In her mind, getting around meant he'd had 6 or 7 sexual partners that he'd been with, not 24 plus. She had wanted to get with him so bad in the beginning because he made her feel good about herself when he looked at her. He made her feel wanted and sexy and desirable, which is something she didn't feel about herself after knowing she'd been cheated on.

If she couldn't satisfy someone like Ed in the bedroom to the point he'd had to look elsewhere, how the hell was she supposed to compare to all of the experience he had? She'd probably give him the worst night of his life and embarrass the hell out of herself.

()()()

She'd been quiet the rest of the night, listening to the other girls talk and pretty much tuning out what they were saying. For the most part anyway. She did pick up on the fact that Michonne was very interested in Rick and if he was currently ready to get back in the dating game. She hadn't entertained that much, though. She was too wrapped up in her own world and she wasn't sure she wanted her brother dating again. Michonne seemed nice enough, but in her opinion, you couldn't trust anyone enough not to hurt you.

Maggie seemed to pick up on the fact that something was wrong with her. She'd dropped the other two girls off first and took Carol home last. She stopped the car in the front yard and turned to face her before she could get out. "What they said about Daryl, it bothered you, didn't it?"

"Why would it?" She replied, defensively.

"I'm not an idiot, Carol." She said, softly. "I don't know if something has happened between you two yet or not, but I know it's there. I know Daryl and I see the way he looks at you. Maybe Rick doesn't see it, but that's probably because he doesn't want to."

Carol shifted nervously in her seat. "We haven't done anything…not yet." She confessed, against her better judgment.

"He's clean if that's what you're worried about. He gets tested." Maggie blurted out.

Carol busted out laughing at that random omission from Maggie. "Are you trying to help him get laid?"

She shook her head. "No. I just…I know what's it like to need to feel that connection with somebody. To feel broken down, hurt, angry. To need to feel…something else."

"And you want me to feel that something else with Daryl? Why?" She challenged, staring at her curiously.

"I just…think he can help you…and I think you can help him."

She cocked an eyebrow at Maggie and reached over to open her door. "Thanks for inviting me tonight. I'll see you at work tomorrow."

"See you." Maggie said quietly, with a wave."


	18. Chapter 18

Wednesday had proven to be a long, fitful night for Daryl. All he'd been able to think about the entire time Carol was gone with Maggie and the other girls was that some guy was going to try to get with her. Hell, he couldn't damn blame any guy that tried. She was rocking the hell out of that dress and it had every fiber of his being wanting to fast forward the next day and a half so he'd be alone with her already. The problem, however, was the thought of another guy touching her had his skin crawling. The thought of someone else touching her, someone else kissing her, it was enough to get his blood boiling.

He didn't know why, either. He'd never thought about those kinds of things with any of the girls he'd been with before. He never wondered who they'd been with before him and he never cared who they were going to be with after him. All that mattered was that they were going to be with him for that night. With her though, it was different. So different. He didn't want her fucking some other guy tonight. He wanted her, damn it! And he wanted to punch anyone else who tried to get with her in the face.

He'd felt like a caged animal in the house that night. His mind kept running circles and he needed a release for his rage. His first choice of physical release was usually sex, and it would be a normal Daryl reaction to just go to the bar and pick up a girl and blow of some steam, among other things, but he didn't wanna do that. Well, okay, maybe he did wanna do that, but he couldn't. He wouldn't let himself. He wanted to get with Carol this weekend, and it just felt…wrong to get with someone else few days before getting with her knowing her history with her ex. Just like it had felt wrong to leave her at the bar that night and go home with that girl.

And that kind of just frustrated him even more. He'd never felt a moral obligation to not have sex with someone before. Not once. Not even when he'd hooked up with a girl he knew Merle had been trying to land but she wanted him instead and had thrown herself at him when he'd been drinking. He still had a damn scar above his left eye from when Merle found out what he did.

So he'd gone to the gym instead. He'd hit the weights first, then the ab lounge. Then, when he was still frustrated as fuck, he'd hopped on the tread mill and started running. His head was still spinning and he'd tried putting his ear phones in and cranking up Disturbed on his phone to drown out his thoughts. It didn't do any damn good, though. He still kept thinking about Carol at the bar in that damn dress and how he was sure every fucking guy in there wanted a piece.

The only somewhat logical conclusion for his anger that he could come up with was that this had to be some evolutionary alpha male shit. He'd staked his claim on her. They'd made plans to hook up and he didn't want some other dick in his territory before he had a chance to put his there. Biologically speaking, it sort of made sense to him. Animals in the wild were territorial over the females they wanted to fuck. That's all this bullshit was. Sure, he'd never felt that way with his other hook ups, but once he'd decided he wanted to get with them there was usually not much time in between the meeting and the hook up. It wasn't like he'd had to wait to fuck them and had time to think about another guy trying to get with them before he could. He hadn't ever had time to experience this reaction before was what he kept telling himself.

He'd felt a little better once he'd formed his hypothesis on the situation. It made him relax a little because he chalked it up to something he couldn't help. Something he couldn't change. And like those damn unwanted jolts of electricity he felt ever damn time this woman touched him, he felt sure it would go away as soon they had sex. There was no logical reason for him to still feel that way once he'd been with her. None at all. Life would be normal for him again after this weekend, and he couldn't fucking wait to feel normal again.

Carol walked inside after Maggie dropped her off and found Rick on the couch playing Call of Duty and drinking some beers. She smirked at him and plopped down beside him. "You really need a life. You know that, right?" She laughed, then picked up his beer and took a sip.

He paused the game and scowled at her. "Yeah, like yours is so exciting. Maggie basically forced you to go with them tonight."

She shrugged her shoulders and took another sip of his beer. "You've got a point."

"Did you have fun?" Rick asked, unpausing his game and looking away from her and back to the screen.

"It was…interesting."

"What? You don't like Michonne and them?"

She didn't miss how Michonne was the girl he chose to name out of the other two. She shook her head and wondered if Rick actually was starting to get ready to move on from Lori. "No, I like all of them. They're really nice and I could use some female friends here."

"What was so damn interesting then?" He asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"Nothing really. We just somehow got on a discussion about sexual partners." She mumbled, a scowl forming on her own face.

Rick's face frowned up. "Ew. Ew. I don't…I don't wanna know."

"Yeah. I don't think I wanted to know either." She muttered, lowly.

He paused the game again and gave her a strange look. "Everything alright?" He couldn't miss the sad sound in her voice and the conflicted look on her face.

She gave him a small nod. "I'm good. Just a little tired. I think I'm gonna get ready for bed."

"Alright." He replied, watching her closely as she walked away.

"Hey, Rick?" She called out, stopping in front of the hallway and glancing towards Daryl's door. His room was dark and the door was shut.

"Yeah."

"Is Daryl here?"

"Nah. He said he was going out earlier and he'd be back later. Knowing him it could be a lot later." He chuckled.

She tugged at her bottom lip and shook her head. "Guess he's on 25 now."

"What?"

She just sighed. "Nothing."

()()()

When he got home from the gym he was covered in sweat. His hair was soaked and the front and back of his tank top were too. He was going to head straight for the shower, but he stopped before walking in the bathroom when he noticed the light was on in Carol's room. That was good, it meant she came home and didn't end up with some random guy. Without thinking, he ended up at her door, knocking lightly.

"Come in." She said, as she whipped the ear buds she had planted in her ears out. She'd been laying on her stomach listening to music for the last half hour or so since retreating to her room.

"Hey." He said, giving her a slight nod.

She looked up at him and nodded back. "I figured you were Rick."

"It's just me." He replied, giving her a sideways grin. When she didn't return it he straightened his face. "I uh…think he's asleep. His door was closed and the lights were off when I came in. Did you two get into a fight again or something?"

She pushed herself up off her stomach and moved into a sitting position. "Rick and I are good."

He watched her carefully, trying to study her mood. "You good?" He asked, leaning against the door frame and folding his arms across his chest.

She just nodded. "Looks like you are, too. Wild night?" She asked, eyeing him up and down, not missing the sweat stains on his clothes and how wet his hair was.

He cocked an eyebrow at her and let out a laugh. "Not exactly what I'd call a wild night. I'm fucking exhausted now, though."

Her brows involuntarily furrowed and she felt her lips curl downward. "Gross."

He looked down at his sweat soaked shirt. "You don't like it when I'm all sweaty? That might be a problem this weekend." He smirked again, hoping she'd get out of whatever mood she was in.

She rolled her eyes and crossed her own arms over her chest. "What's that gonna make me? Number 26?"

His cocked his head to the side. He was fucking lost at this point and had no idea what she was talking about, but he knew her well enough to know she was upset about something. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Or is it higher than that?"

"Is what higher than that?"

"Don't act like you don't know." She raised her voice slightly.

He stepped inside her room and closed the door behind him. He didn't want Rick to hear them arguing and that's exactly where this was headed if she kept raising her voice like that for no damn reason. "Nah, I don't know." He snapped. "Say what you gotta say and stop beating around the damn bush. That ain't you."

"First of all, you don't know me. Second, I'm talking about the fact that you went and hooked up with some girl earlier and that makes her number 25 and if I get with you this weekend that'll make me number 26."

"Girl? I ain't hooked up with no damn girl earlier! And who the hell told you I been with 25 girls? Did Rick say that shit to keep something from happening this weekend?"

"Look, Daryl. We aren't together. Hell, we haven't even had sex. You're free to have sex with whoever you want and so am I."

"I know I am." He bit back. "And I didn't have sex with nobody. I ain't fucked nobody in over a damn month. I went to the gym. That's why I'm wearing a damn tank top and basketball shorts." He waved a hand over his clothes. "You think I went to a damn bar like this to pick up some girl?"

She felt her face flush and pulled her knees up to her chest. "I didn't really think about that…Rick said you went out and I just kind of assumed..." She exhaled deeply. "I'm an idiot."

He brought his thumb up to his lips and started chewing on the side of it. Seeing her look so embarrassed had him softening. "Nah. You ain't an idiot. Hell, it's something I'd do." He let out a nervous laugh and made his way to the end of her bed, taking a seat. "You want the truth? All I could think about earlier was some guy taking you home. It made me kinda pissy, too, so I went to the gym."

"Were you jelous?" She said with a smirk. Feeling herself relax a little.

"No." He scoffed, but he could feel his face turning red and the tips of his ears burning. "I just…I mean….this weekend…you know?"

"Yeah…I know." And she did, she knew all too well.

He could tell she was starting to relax and her being in a good mood again was already starting to put him in one. That was until he remembered the whole number situation she'd been going off about. "Hey." He said, looking over and meeting her eyes. "Who told you I'd been with all those girls?"

"Is it true?" She countered, unwilling to reveal who it had been or how the conversation came up.

She always did that. She always came back with a question of her own and it never stopped throwing him off guard. "I…I don't know." He finally managed, letting his head fall.

"You don't know?" She said skeptically.

"I really don't. I mean, it ain't like I keep a list or nothing."

"That many?" Her face fell as the words left her mouth.

He sighed and shook his head. "Look, I was 18 when I lost my virginity and it wasn't no special thing, okay? I was about to go to college and I'd barely been able to look a damn girl up in the eye at that point. Merle threw me a going away party. There was a lot of alcohol…a lot of alcohol…and a stripper named Candy. Anyway, she gave me a private show, seeing as how I was the guest of honor and all. When she got naked she just…she kinda started kissing me and she crawled in my lap and shit happened." He grimaced. "It lasted like two minutes and looking back I'm pretty sure my brother paid her to fuck me. Seeing as how she conveniently had a condom ready and all." He scowled. "Anyway…I mean, it was a fucking confidence booster from hell for a while. You know? Some older woman jumping you like that. And I liked it. Who doesn't like sex?" He laughed nervously again, then looked down. "So I got drunk again and went out with Merle a few times after that and hooked up with a couple girls. Then when I moved here I just started hooking up with girls whenever one tried to get with me. I can't tell you how many girls I been with…25 or 30 sounds about right, though." He admitted, almost regretfully. "I ain't never had no one ask me that before. Well, other than the people in health services whenever I go get checked." He muttered.

She didn't exactly know what to say to that whole admission. At least he was honest. Though it didn't help her feel any better about her not knowing what the hell to do if they hooked up. "I've only been with one guy." She said, barely above a whisper. Just my ex."

He nodded. "Yeah, you hinted at that the day we went out to lunch."

"Yeah…I guess I did. Then I realized I didn't know you well enough to be telling you that."

"Well, your brother had already kinda hinted at my sexual history to you when he picked you up. Guess it woulda just made us even."

"Guess so." She laughed.

He cleared his throat. "Does it um….does it bother you I been with that many girls?"

She pursed her lips and thought about it for a minute. It didn't bother her that much. Sex was just sex. It sounded like he kept a pretty good check on his status and she wasn't planning on them not using protection anyway. "I just have a feeling you might be disappointed in our differnt experience levels….I mean, I obviously wasn't doing something right if Ed was screwing someone else."

He watched her head fall as that last sentence left her mouth. He could hear the hurt in her voice and if could ever see the stupid son of a bitch who'd made her feel so damn bad about herself he'd like to punch him in the fucking face. He placed a hand under her chin and lifted it until her eyes were meeting his. "Hey." He said, softly. "You ain't the problem. You're ex is a selfish asshole who didn't know what a damn good thing he had and it's his fucking loss, not yours."

She bit at her bottom lip and just shook her head. "That's really sweet, Daryl, but…"

"Stop." He ran his hand along the side of her face, keeping his eyes locked on hers. "You're fucking beautiful and I ain't been able to stop thinking about you all damn night. Hell, I ain't stopped thinking about you since the first night I saw you. Yeah…I been with a lot of girls…but I ain't ever wanted to be with one as damn bad as I want to be with you. When you kissed me the other night…" He stopped talking and swallowed hard. She was looking at him expectantly, but he didn't know what to say. He wondered if she'd felt what he felt. If she felt that same jolt of electricity he did whenever they touched. If her breath caught in her throat when their lips touched. He let his eyes travel down to her lips and before he knew what he was doing he was leaning in, inching closer and closer to her until his lips were crashing on hers.

He was kissing her softly at first, then growing greedy as she responded to him eagerly. The same shock to his system he'd felt every single time he'd touched her so far was jolting through his body, except now it seemed to be magnified times 1,000. His hands moved up and down her, tracing over her rib cage. He felt her fingers thread through the back of his hair and he before he knew it she was falling onto the bed, pulling him on top of her and he was pressing his hips into hers.

He broke the kiss, then began trailing kisses along her jawline, down her neck, once he reached her collar bone he heard her let out a whimper. He wanted nothing more than to have right here, right now, but he knew Rick was only a few rooms away. It took everything he had in him to pull his mouth away from hers, especially once she'd started running her hands up and down his back, but he forced himself to. "We gotta stop." He panted.

"I don't want to." She managed breathlessly, running her fingernails down his back again as he moaned.

"Does this feel like I want to?" He growled, pressing into her.

"So don't." She whispered, as she started nibbling his ear.

"You're fucking killing me." He muttered, before sinking his lips onto hers again. He could feel her smirking as his tongue swirled against hers.

"Do you have a condom?" She asked, not daring to break their kiss.

"In my wallet." He mumbled against her lips. He was moving his hands down her waist, then to her thighs until they were on the bare skin that her dress wasn't covering. His hands were inching their way up the inside of her dress when the sound of a knock on the door had her shoving him off of her.

"You still up?" Rick called out from the other side of the door.

She cursed under her breath. She would have just not responded, but her room light being on was a dead giveaway. "Yeah." She replied, trying not to sound too annoyed or out of breath.

"I couldn't sleep. I was gonna pop some popcorn and see if you wanted to watch a movie.

She looked over and saw Daryl laying on his stomach with his head buried in her covers. He had a hand up and it was pointed towards the closed door, flipping it off. She had to stifle a life and fight the urge to do the same damn thing. "No thanks. I'm good. I was just about to go to bed."

"You sure."

She rolled her eyes and had to fight the urge from going and punching him in the face. "I'm sure." She snapped.

"You're so damn cranky when you're sleepy."

"Or when I'm horny and you interrupt me getting laid." She mumbled, and she heard Daryl let out a laugh.

"Hey, did Daryl ever come in?"

She froze, worried he'd heard him laughing. "I…I don't think so. Why?"

Daryl looked over at her, worry etched on his own face.

"I was just gonna see if he wanted to watch the movie with me if he was."

"You can check his room. Sounds like the most logical place he'd be." She offered.

"Yeah. You're right." Rick said with a laugh. "Goodnight, sis."

"Goodnight."

 **(So, I didn't make it to their weekend alone, but this was okay, too? ...I hope.)**


	19. Chapter 19

**It's a rainy nasty day here where I live and I've got nothing to do other than write. Maybe this will turn out decent enough since I'm not feeling my muse at the moment and am just trying to occupy my time. I hope you all enjoy and thanks for reading and reviewing.)**

She heard Rick knock on Daryl's door a few times and call out and see if he was in there. Of course, he got no response and she could hear his footsteps trailing off and assumed he'd gone off to watch the movie he'd been talking about when he interrupted her make out session. She got up to turn her room light off since she'd told her brother she was about to go to sleep, she let herself fall back on her bed. Daryl was still laying there in silence like he had been since Rick interrupted them, but now he was perched on his side instead of laying on his stomach with his head buried in the sheets.

"Rick's got the shittiest timing in the world." He whispered, resentment clear in his voice.

She chuckled quietly and turned on her side to face him. "Yeah, he does. I guess that wasn't very smart, though. I should have listened when you tried to stop us before he knocked on the door. He could have easily showed up ten minutes later and heard something."

He let out a sigh and ran a hand through his hair. "Ain't your fault. I'm the one who kissed you in the first place."

"Yeah, but I'm the one who snatched you on top of me. It was just a kiss, I didn't have to take it that far."

He shifted uncomfortably, because maybe that was just a simple kiss for her, but for him it wasn't. It was something entirely different and he knew it. He'd never felt anything like that before in his entire life. It was an almost intoxicating experience and he fucking hated that Rick had ruined it before it could get even better. "I uh…I better climb out your window and let myself back inside. Rick knows me well enough to know I'd bring my ass home at some point."

Her eyes flicked downwards away from his and onto the bed. "Oh…um…yeah…okay. That's probably a good idea."

She almost sounded disappointed that he was going to have to leave, and he'd be lying if he wasn't too, but it wasn't like anything else could happen with Rick awake in the next room. Hell, he was halfway worried he'd hear them whispering in here. The walls in the house weren't that thick. He knew that much from overhearing all sorts of shit he hadn't wanted to hear between Rick and Lori back when they were together. They would have gotten caught earlier if things had escalated, he had no doubt about that. Even if Rick had been asleep, they'd have woken him up. "It ain't exactly like we can pick up where we left off. You know?"

She pushed herself up and nodded. "I know. I guess we'll just have to wait until this weekend." She said, offering him a weak smile.

He gave her a half smile of his own and was about to get out of the bed and head for the window when he felt her hand on his. He stopped and turned to face her. She was giving him a strange look and before he could ask her what she was thinking he felt her lips connect with his.

After a few seconds she pulled apart and brushed a hand through his hair. "I know we can't really do anything tonight…but….do you think we could do that some more? You're a damn good kisser Daryl Dixon and it's been a long time since I've had someone kiss me the way you did tonight."

He sucked in a deep breath, knowing it would be fucking torture to just sit there and kiss her like that knowing nothing would come of it. He'd have fucking blue balls from hell before the night was over, not that he wasn't already going to. But she was looking at him expectantly, tugging at her bottom lip and all he could think of was that he really did wanna keep kissing her. He liked kissing her, he was starting to like the rush he got when their lips were intertwined.

He licked his bottom lip and nodded eagerly, letting his lips connect with hers hard. She was falling on the bed again, but he was careful to keep his body from pushing up against hers and he dug his hands into her sheets to keep them from roaming her body. He broke the kiss momentarily to catch his breath. He hovered above her and bit his bottom lip hard. "I ain't never had nobody kiss me like you kissed me before." He confessed, before greedily meeting her lips again.

()()()

He didn't know how long they'd stayed in her room making out, he knew it had been a long ass time when he finally forced himself to pull away from her. His tongue was sore as hell, hips lips were kiss swollen, and his groin was literally aching with the need for release at that point. Things had managed to stay innocent, well relatively innocent. He'd gotten some over the dress boob action and she'd copped some major feels over the top his shorts. Those things only drove him more insane and he was so tightly wound at this point he was almost certain he'd explode before Friday got here. If something happened and Rick didn't leave for some reason he was fairly certain he might have to shoot his best friend with his crossbow. Shoot him or get a hotel, one of the two.

In a way, the situation had almost been comical to him. Crawling out some girl's window after a heated make out session was some high school bullshit. Not something two consenting adults should have to do. When he thought about it, it was even funnier that he had to crawl out of a window in his own damn house just to walk inside and get to his own room. Sure, he could have just walked from her room to his room, but he didn't wanna chance Rick still being awake and seeing it. This was the strangest damn situation he'd ever fucking been in his entire damn life.

When he woke up the next morning he saw Carol and Rick sitting at the kitchen table eating breakfast and talking. He looked over and met her gaze. She gave him an awkward smile before biting into her egg sandwich. He nodded at them both and walked to the refrigerator and grabbed the orange juice.

"What time did you finally get home last night?" Rick asked

Daryl shrugged and turned up the orange juice. "I lost track of time at the gym."

"Yeah…right." Rick chuckled.

"What's so funny?" Daryl replied, annoyed Rick was questioning where he'd been.

"They don't keep the gym open that late. You weren't here when I finally went to my room at one."

Daryl exhaled deeply then a smile played at the corner of his lips. "You caught me. I was with a girl last night."

"I figured that much." Rick chuckled again. "I know you."

Daryl let out a laugh and shook his head. "Yeah. I guess you do…it didn't exactly go how I planned, though."

Rick cocked an eyebrow. "You finally meet a crazy one?"

Daryl looked over at Carol who was frozen in place watching the two talk. Her sandwich was in front of her mouth but she hadn't dared take another bite yet. "Nah, she ain't crazy." He stopped and wiggled his eyebrows. "Well, she mighta been a litte crazy in bed. Know what I mean?"

Carol was shooting him a death glare and Rick was looking at him disgusted and it took everything he had to keep a straight face. "I didn't get the chance to find out, though." He added, true resentment showing up in his voice.

"What happened?" Rick asked, cautiously.

"Her damn roommate showed up unexpectedly and interrupted things right before I was about to slide my hands up her dress."

Carol dropped her sandwich and her mouth gaped open.

Rick just shook his head and turned to look at his sister. "Now does everything I told you about him make sense?" He stood up and slid his chair under the table and took his plate to the sink. "I'm gonna go get ready for class. Thanks for breakfast, sis."

Carol carefully watched Rick walk away and as soon as she heard the bedroom door shut she turned her attention to Daryl who was snickering with his hand over his face. "What the hell is wrong with you?" She hissed.

He leaned against the counter and smirked at her. "What? He innocently said.

What if he would have figured it out?"

"He ain't gonna figure it out. He saw me leave. He saw you here. Hell, he talked to you. Relax, I wouldn't have said nothing if I thought he'd pick up on it."

She softened a bit and moved beside him, jumping up and placing herself on the counter. "It's still gross you basically told my brother you were running your hand up my leg."

"Yeah. It is pretty gross." He admitted. "Asshole shouldn't have interrupted us." He smirked again and turned around, positioning himself between her legs. She was wearing a pair of sleep shorts this morning, not the dress she'd had on last night. He let his hands roam over her thighs and he pressed a few kisses against her neck. "Damn, I'm ready for tomorrow." He growled, letting his fingertips dig into her thighs."

She cupped his face and let her lips meet his, tugging at his bottom lip with her teeth as she pulled away. "Me too." She mumbled, reluctantly pushing him away and climbing off the counter so she could get ready for work.

 **I'm pretty sure I'm the slowest story teller ever, haha. I'll try to update this weekend, but I'm going to visit a friend that I haven't seen in a few years, so I might not update until next week. If I don't before then, here's to hoping we all survive the season finale. I'm super nervous about Negan =**


	20. Chapter 20

**(Not that anyone particularly cares, but I'm going to say it anyway. I haven't agreed with some things this season, but Sunday night's episode was really good. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time and I was so emotionally captivated. I mean, in the words of Abraham, holy bitch nuts. It's going to be a long six month wait, guys. A very long six month wait. I plan to engross myself in fanfiction during this time and pretend that everyone is all hunky dory. Anyway, to get to the part I'm sure you're all waiting for, here's the next chapter. I meant to get to this sooner, but it's been a busy week. Thanks for reading and reviewing!)**

Rick walked in the living room Friday evening with a duffle bag on his shoulder. He'd gone to his room to finish packing for his weekend back home about thirty minutes ago and he was getting ready to head to his parents. He walked over to where Carol was sitting on the couch reading a book and took a seat beside her. "You sure you don't wanna come with me? I can wait for you to pack if you changed your mind."

She looked up and narrowed her eyes on him. "I'm sure." She replied, flatly.

He gave her a small nod then grew quiet. "It's not too late for me to stay home if you need me to. I really don't like the idea of going without you after everything you've been through lately."

Her eyes shot over to Daryl who was sitting on the other side of her. He'd been playing a video game. She noticed he paused the game and was intently listening to her conversation with Rick. She looked back over at Rick and gave him a small smile and put on her most reassuring voice. "Go home. I'll be fine. I've been taking care of myself the last four years without you. I think I can manage a weekend."

Rick looked at her hesitantly, then sighed. "Alright, but call Sunday, like you promised. And call or text me if you need anything or change your mind and want me to come get you."

"Yes, dad." She groaned and rolled her eyes at him.

He shoved her lightly. "I'm trying to be a good brother here. Be glad I care."

She straightened herself up then shoved him back harder. "I know you are, and I'm glad you care. I'll be fine. I promise. You don't have to worry, Daryl's gonna keep me occupied. I won't even know you're gone." She smirked.

Rick turned his head to the side and gave Daryl a suspicious look. "And what exactly are you two gonna do all weekend?"

Daryl shrugged and kept his eyes locked on the game he just unpaused. "We'll figure something out. Might go out to Hershel's at some point and take her shooting. See if she's as badass with a gun as she says she is." He looked over at her and grinned.

Rick gripped the strap of his bag and stood on his feet and looked between the two one last time. "Guess I'm gonna head out." He leaned down and pulled Carol in for hug. "I love you."

"Love you, too." She said, squeezing him tightly around his neck. "Drive safe and let me know when you get there.

()()()

"You alright?" Daryl softly asked her a few minutes after Rick had left. She'd shoved her head back in the book as soon as he'd gone, but he kept stealing glances at her out of the corner of her his eye and she didn't really seem to be paying attention to the words on the pages.

"Just reading my book." She mumbled.

"No you ain't." He snorted.

"Yes I am." She retorted.

"You been on the same damn page ever since Rick left five minutes ago."

She looked down at the page and blushed a little. "I guess I was thinking and zoned out."

He nodded and tossed his control down, turning his attention towards her completely. "You wanna call Rick and tell him you changed your mind and wanna go home?" He didn't even wanna ask that question, because he damn sure didn't want her to, but he didn't want her be miserable all weekend either and regret not being with her family.

She tossed the book to the side and shook her head. "I told them I wasn't coming, and I'm not."

He stood up and reached down, grabbed her hand, and pulled her to her feet. He must have pulled her a little harder than he meant to and she ended up smacking into his chest.

She looked up at him and let out a laugh, planting her hands on his chest. "What are you doing?"

"I ain't sitting here and watching you be fucking miserable all damn night, that's what. So get off your ass and quit sulking and let's go do something to take your mind off shit." The way her eyes shot up at the words that just left his mouth had him thinking he'd just pissed her off and blown any chance at all of anything happening between them this weekend. He was about to apologize for being overly harsh, but then he saw a smile play at the edge of her lips.

"Can we do anything I want?" She asked seductively, running her hands up and down his chest.

"Mhm." He nodded eagerly and moved his hands to her hips.

"Good." She slapped his chest hard and stepped away from him. "I'm starving and I want seafood. Take me to the best place in town. I'll go get ready."

He watched her walk away and groaned before walking to his own room to change.

()()()

He'd taken her to a seafood place out on the lake. He liked it a lot and it had live entertainment every Friday night. It was usually just locals, but the bands were always pretty good. Plus, it was one of the only places in town that served lobster and crab legs.

"This place is really nice." She commented as the waiter seated them at a table in the back of the restaurant that overlooked the lake. There were strands of white Christmas lights hung all around that illuminated the area and you could see the moon rising over the lake.

"Yeah. It's pretty cool, it's one my favorite places to eat around here. Especially in summer." He pointed over to the dock a few yards away. "You can catch your own fish and they'll cook it up for you."

She thumbed through the menu a few times then looked over at him as he was going through his own. "I bet you've picked up a lot of girls here." She randomly said.

He looked up at her curiously. "Nah. Not really. I pick up girls downtown, mostly. Rick used to bring Lori here a lot and I'd come with them and Shane. Sometimes we come here after work. Me, Maggie, Glenn and Michonne. Maggie's brother's band plays here a lot. He's the guitarist."

Her eyes grew cold at the mention of her brother's former girlfriend and best friend. "I'd sure like to run into Lori and Shane one day. I've got a lot to say to both of them."

"Yeah. I wanted to beat the guy's ass myself after all that shit. I never really liked either of them."

"Shane was always sneaky as hell growing up, but I never would have thought he'd do that to Rick. He loved him. They were like brothers."

Daryl just shrugged. He didn't really know what to say about that. People sucked sometimes, even family. Hell, she knew that. "He's better off without them." He offered. "She was always bitching at him about something. He couldn't do a damn thing to make her happy."

Carol ran her hand up and down her glass of water and cocked an eyebrow at him. "I suppose you think Rick should just hook up and get around for a while. Stay away from relationships?"

He shook his head and forced back a laugh at the thought of Rick casually slipping out of some girl's room the next day. "I think it'd help him get over her dumbass, but that ain't him." He started to add the part where he thought Rick liked Michonne, but thought better of it. He didn't know what Carol's reaction would be to that. He watched her as she sipped her drink and she appeared to be deep in thought. He was going to ask he what she was thinking about, but then the waiter walked up.

"Are you two ready to order?" The young man asked.

Daryl nodded and gave the man his menu. "I'll have the steak and lobster. Loaded baked potato as my side."

"And for you beautiful date here?" He smiled, looking over to Carol.

She looked over at Daryl and she could feel her face flaming. She was worried that the comment would freak him out. "I'll um. I'll have the seafood platter, hold the crawdads." She reached up and gave the man her menu. She waited for the man to walk away and offered him an apologetic look. "You could have corrected him. It wouldn't have hurt my feelings."

He gave her a sideways grin and shook his head. "You see the look he was giving you? His bitch ass was hoping you weren't my date."

"Stop. He was not."

"He looked at you like he wanted to order you for dinner. I bet you ten bucks he'd have asked for your number if I said you weren't." He leaned down and sipped his own drink and then met her eyes. "Besides, I don't mind anyone thinking you're my date, hell being out with someone like you is a compliment." He added more quietly and felt his own face flame.

()()()

The waiter brought their food to them and they ate and listened to the band playing. She seemed to have forgotten about the sad mood she'd been in after Rick had left and she was having a good time. They'd ordered cheesecake for desert and split it. When the waiter came with the check, he'd naturally put it on one ticket after the date comment from earlier and Daryl had given him his card to pay.

"You didn't have to buy mine." She kept insisting as they waited for the man bring his card back.

"Ain't a big deal. You just got your first check today and it's short since we got off early for Good Friday. Next check will be short too since we ain't working tomorrow."

"Yeah, but I've got money this time. I could have paid."

"If I didn't wanna pay for you I wouldn't have. Stop making a big deal out of it."

"Daryl, that meal wasn't cheap."

He groaned. "Stop bitching about me doing something nice for you. I get it, you're independent and you wanna take care of yourself and all that shit. So, I got an idea, go buy us both a drink and call it even. We'll stay and finish watching Shawn's band play and then we'll go home."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "We can't walk home from here. I'm not riding on your bike after you've been drinking."

He was about to argue that it was just one drink and he could handle way more, but then he remembered how her real mom died and stopped himself. "Yeah, you're right. That was a stupid idea."

"If you want one and you trust me enough to drive your bike home I'll order you one and I won't drink."

"You know how drive a bike?" He said, clearly impressed.

"I keep telling you, Dixon, there's a lot you don't know about me. She smirked.

He hummed and looked her up and down. "Alright, go get me a crown and coke then. I'm gonna go piss."

She nodded and headed towards the bar. There were a good bit of people standing around and she was waiting for the bartender to get to her when she felt someone touch her hip. She was expecting it to be Daryl, but was surprised when she turned around and found someone she didn't recognize smiling at her. "Can I help you?" She asked, her voice guarded.

"Actually, I think I can help you." He stepped in front of her. "I see you're trying to get a drink. I'd be happy to buy it for you."

"No thanks, I got it myself." She replied, stepping farther away from him. She had no idea who he was, but his smug grin made her extremely uncomfortable.

He stepped closer to her again, still grinning widely. "Come on. It's just a drink. I won't bite."

"I said I'm good." She spat out firmly. "I'm here with someone and I'm getting a drink and going back to sit with him."

"Oh. So, you're on a date?" The man shifted and his smug grin faltered slightly.

"Well, no I'm not on a date, but…"

The smug grin made reappeared and he reached out and gripped her wrist tightly. "Come on, let me buy you a drink then. You can catch up with your friend later."

She raised her eyebrows at him and felt anger spike in her blood. "Get your hand off me, asshole." She barked and jerked back, but his grip was still tight around her wrist. She was about to reach back and knock the hell out of him, but suddenly the man was being snatched away from her.

"What the hell's your problem?" Daryl snapped, shoving the man hard.

"Who the hell are you?" The guy asked, as he steadied himself and eyed Daryl up and down.

"The guy who's about to beat your fucking ass for putting your hands on a woman like that, especially that woman." He growled, getting up in the man's face.

She noticed how everyone in the bar had stopped what they were doing and were looking at them. She was worried that this was about to escalate and she didn't want Daryl to get in any trouble. She walked up beside him and put a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Daryl, I'm fine. Let's just go home." She said, softly.

He was breathing heavy and he could feel the anger pulsing through his veins, but he felt himself calm slightly at her touch. "He ain't got no business putting his hands on nobody like that." He huffed.

"I know. I'm fine though, see, no bruise or anything." She reached out and showed him her wrist. There wasn't a bruise, but he could see red finger imprints on her hand and she could tell by the pulse in his neck he was getting pissed all over again. She carefully reached over and grabbed his hand, pulling it lightly. "Let's go home, Daryl. I don't want you spending a weekend in jail, especially not this weekend."

He bit his bottom lip and shot a hard look back at the man in front of him. "I better not see your ass near her again." He warned.

The man threw his hands up in the air and flashed that grin of his again. "It was all a misunderstanding anyway, I assure you."

"Yeah. I'm sure." Daryl snorted, before turning around to walk away.

"Hey, Daryl?" The man called out.

He turned around to see what the asshole wanted and before he had time to react the man's fist connected with his face. Carol jumped back and let out a scream when it happened and when the man swung again he'd been expecting it this time he ducked. The man faltered and he took that opportunity to get a good swing of his own in. The other man fell to the ground and Daryl jumped on top of him and got in another good hit before he felt someone pulling him off.

"Easy, Dixon. Easy."

He recognized the voice immediately as the guy who owned the place. It was a man named Tyrese, and he knew him pretty well because he was a client at the clinic. "Man, he hit me first and he put his hands on her." He hissed and pointed to where Carol was standing.

"Hey, I'm not doubting your story, man. You're a good kid and you know I like you, but I can't have that shit in here. Okay? I need you to calm down. Go home and cool off."

Daryl sighed and flexed his fingers. He gave the man a nod and walked over to where Carol was standing a few feet from them. She immediately brushed her hand across his face where he'd been sucker punched.

"You're gonna have a black eye." She grimaced.

"I'll live. I've had a lot worse." He muttered, glancing over his shoulder at the guy he'd punched who was still on the floor with people hovering around him.

()()()

When they got back to their place the adrenaline he was feeling had worn off and his eye was hurting like hell. His hand wasn't feeling too great either. He walked up to the couch and fell backwards onto it.

Carol looked at him sympathetically and walked to the kitchen. She came back with a glass of water and two pain relievers, along with two bags of frozen food. She handed him the water and the pain pills first. "This will help." She said, with a sheepish smile.

He took the water and the pills and downed them quickly, then felt the couch sink in some as she sat beside him. He looked over at her and didn't miss the look of guilt on her face.

"You got hit because of me."

"I got hit because that guy was a pussy who gets rough with women and took a cheap shot at me."

She reached up and ran her fingers through his bangs. "Can I?" She asked, holding up the bag of frozen food.

He nodded and shivered as the cold bag connected with his pulsing face.

"I know that it's cold, but it'll help."

"Trust me, I know. I've got my ass kicked plenty of times over the years and had to do this before."

"I find that hard to believe." She laughed. "You got the jump on that guy real quick. I have a feeling you've done your share of ass kicking."

He snorted and pulled the bag away from his eye and sat it on the coffee table. He felt her reach down and grab his hand, looking it over well for cuts and bruises. That damn jolting feeling was coming back and he found himself not thinking about the throbbing pain in his face or hand as much.

"It sucks we didn't get to stay and finish listening to the band." She mused.

"Ain't no big deal. We can again sometime, they play there a lot." He offered."

"Yeah, I guess we can." She replied, lowly. She reached up and brushed her thumb across a scar she noticed above his eye, then threaded her fingers through his hair lightly. She heard him suck in a deep breath and she slowly moved herself onto his lap. She looked down at him, his blue eyes, thick with desire, were locked on hers and he was licking his lips. She smiled and placed a hand on the side of his face that hadn't been injured in the fight, then met her lips with his, kissing him softly, then she pulled away.

His hands were on her hips before he knew it and just that soft kiss was enough to have his heart slamming so damn hard he thought it might pop out of his chest. He knew Rick wasn't home. Nothing was there to stop them this time. He leaned up and connected his lips with hers again, deepening the kiss and pulling her further into him.

Things escalated quickly, and he'd all but forgotten that he'd been punched in the face earlier. All he was concentrated on right now was Carol in his lap, rocking back and forth against him. Her hands tangled in his hair, tugging lightly, and her teeth grazing across his bottom lip teasingly. His hands were under her shirt, grazing over her rib cage and making their way up to her breasts. She broke the kiss on his lips and started trailing kisses down his neck that had him digging his nails into her skin. "Damn, woman." He moaned.

She gave him a sexy smirk and pulled her hands out of his hair long enough to tug her shirt off.

He took in the sight, looking her up and down, admiring the curves of her body and bucked his hips further into her.

She grabbed his face and pulled him in for another hungry kiss. "Bedroom. Now!" She panted as they broke apart.

He moved his hands down her body until they were resting on her backside. "Hold on." He growled, then gripped his hands around her tightly, his fingernails digging into her flesh as he felt her sucking on his neck. He stood up in one swift motion and started walking them towards his bedroom."


	21. Chapter 21

Beads of sweat were dripping down his body as he hovered over, his breath still coming in ragged and irregular after everything they'd just done. She was looking up at him, her blue eyes beaming and a satisfied smile on her face. Her fingers traced through his hair, and he felt his body shudder involuntarily. He sucked in a deep breath, then felt her hands connect with his face, pulling him in for one more kiss. His lips met hers eagerly and for the first time in his life after sex he didn't have the urge to just roll away and go about his business. He let his hands sweep down her body once again, tracing every curve and crevice.

He was fucking mesmerized by this woman. He'd never felt anything like that before in his entire life, and that was saying something, because he'd been with a lot of different woman, a fucking lot of them. None of the others time compared to this, though, not at all. He'd been expecting it to be good, after all, the feelings he got when she kissed him were intoxicating enough, but actually being with her. Well, that had been completely fucking mind blowing.

He was still kissing her, getting lost in her all over again when he felt her lips curl into a smile and a slight push against his chest. He tugged at her bottom lip one last time, trying to convince her not to end the moment. When she let out a moan he thought he'd been successful, but then she pulled away completely and pushed up on his chest with more force than she had before.

She pursed her lips and titled her head. "I think we're gonna need a new one if you wanna do that again. You're not supposed to use the same one twice."

"Right." He nodded, letting out a small chuckle and rolling off of her. He quickly pulled off the used rubber and tied it up, leaning over to dispose of it in the trashcan beside his bed. While he was still leaning up he reached over the side of the bed and grabbed his jeans.

She watched him closely as he was reaching across the bed. She was going to make some joke about him trying to get dressed and get the hell out of there when a clear view of his back grabbed her attention. She'd seen him shirtless before tonight, but she'd never seen his back. When they ripping each other's clothes off earlier she hadn't gotten a view of it either and even when they ended up tangled together in his bed she hadn't been a position where she could get a look at it. Now, as he was reaching over the bed, it was all she could see and she felt her stomach churn at the sight of it.

There were several large, jagged scars that lined his back. All she could think of was that night he'd told her about his parents and why he didn't go home often and it made her heart break a little thinking about how he got them. Without thinking, she reached out and ran her fingertip along one of them. She instantly regretted her decision when she felt him tense under her touch.

When he felt her touch run across his back he grew completely still. He'd been fishing in the pockets of his jeans in search of his cigarettes, which he'd been able to find. He was holding them in his right hand and he felt the pack crumple beneath his fingertips in reaction to her touch. He had a damn good idea at what she was looking at and he couldn't believe he hadn't thought about it before leaning over. As far as he knew, no girl he'd ever hooked up with had seen them. Hell, most people hadn't seen them.

Rick had, but after living together so long he was bound to see them. He'd asked about them and Daryl had made up some story about falling out of a barn and landing on glass when he was a kid. Rick didn't doubt him and never brought it up again. This was a different, though. This wasn't Rick looking at him and it made him feel extremely self-conscious, despite what they'd just done. Plus, he'd actually told her some stuff about his dad and he knew she could probably piece together what happened.

She swallowed hard, trying to contemplate what to do. She could tell he'd become uncomfortable and she didn't wanna upset him even more. "Come here." She said, softly, pulling him by the shoulders towards her. He let her pull him to where he was facing her, but his head was hanging down and he wouldn't meet her eyes. She cupped the side of his face and brought him in for a quick kiss. When she pulled away from him his eyes were trained on hers. She ran a hand down his back again, this time bringing it up to show him. There were small specks of blood on her fingertips from the scratch marks she'd also managed to leave on his back earlier. Scratches that didn't have anything on those angry marks on his back, but she felt like it might draw some attention away how he was feeling. "Think I got a little rough with you." She offered, giving him an embarrassed smile.

He gave her a half grin before landing a soft kiss on her collar bone and trailing his way up her neck. "I liked it." He growled. He knew she'd seen the scars on his back, but he was glad she didn't ask about them and he was damn sure glad she changed the subject. He didn't like to think about how they got there ever, he damn sure didn't wanna think about it right now. He let himself relax and tried to let his mind go back to where it had been before the air grew serious.

She fell backwards and pulled him back down with her. She watched him as he propped himself up on one elbow and was staring down at her. She let her eyes sweep over his body, taking him all in again. He had the covers pulled over his lower half, but she had a nice view of his upper body. She licked her lips, admiring his toned abs that had been pressed against maybe only her five minutes ago. She couldn't help noticing and appreciating the trail of dirty blond hair that led from his navel downwards, dipping past his V cut.

She'd be a damn liar if she said that wasn't the best sex she'd ever had in her entire life. The man knew what he was doing, that was for sure. Of course, Ed was all she had to compare it to, but still. Over the course of a four year relationship she'd been with the man a lot, more times than she could count, and not once was it ever like this. She and Daryl were so in sync with one another. The chemistry had been unbelievable, for her anyway.

She wasn't sure how he felt about it, but he seemed to be enjoying it in her opinion. She watched him fumble behind him and grab his cigarettes and lighter. He pulled one out and went to light it, then repositioned himself where he was propped up, looking over her. "Rick's going to kill you for smoking inside if he find outs." She warned.

He ignored her and took a drag, then cocked an eyebrow as he exhaled the smoke. "Really? This is what you're worried about Rick finding out about?"

She shifted and pulled the sheets up around her tighter. "Point taken." She mumbled, stealing his cigarette.

"Are you ever gonna buy your own damn pack?" He grumbled.

She shook her head and smirked. "Nope. It's more fun to take yours."

He rolled his eyes playfully and grabbed it back from her. "Don't smoking kinda go against all that running you do all the time?"

"It would if I ran to stay healthy, but that's not why I run." She admitted.

"Why the hell do you run then?" He wondered aloud, squinting down at her. She was meticulous about that shit. She ran every damn day, sometimes twice a day.

She shrugged her shoulders lightly. "I've always been fast. Long legs." She pointed down, stretching her legs out with a chuckle. "Back in middle school the P.E. teacher coached track and when we did the one mile run and I got the fastest time in my grade she annoyed the hell out of me until I went out for track. My parents pushed me to do it, too. They were all about extracurricular activities to make sure I stayed out of trouble." She rolled her eyes and didn't even try to hide the annoyance in her voice. "Anyway, when I started running I found out I don't think about things. You know? I go to this place and nothing bothers me. Not my real mom. Not how much of a bitch my step mom is. Not the fact that my boyfriend cheated on me." She trailed off and grew quiet. "It's just me and the wind when I run. Nothing else matters."

He nodded. She probably had no idea how much that made sense to him. "That's how hunting is for me. It's just me and the crossbow. I don't give a shit about nothing else when I'm out there in the woods. Hell, I practically lived in them as a kid. Even got lost once for three days."

"Seriously?" She asked, arching her brow. "Were the cops out looking for you?"

He grunted. "Nah. Hell, no one knew I was gone. It was right after my mom left and my old man was on a bender with some waitress. I got home before he did."

"Where was your brother?" She scrunched her face up. Even though this had to be over ten years ago she couldn't hide the fact that it bothered her for him.

"Doing a stint in Juvie for grand theft auto." He snorted. "Merle was twelve damn years old and stole the sheriff's car and went on a joy ride with his daughter. That son of a bitch was pissed and made sure the judge threw the books at him."

Her eyes grew wide. "Are you being serious?"

"Dead ass serious." He laughed. "My brother's something else. He always has been."

"Yeah. He sounds like it." She took what was left of the cigarette from him and finished it off, then stubbed it out in the ashtray on the nightstand. When she looked up his eyes were trailing over breasts that had been exposed when the sheet fell after she leaned up. He was licking his lips and she could tell his breathing had become deeper. She felt herself blush a little from the way he was looking at her and how much darker his eyes had grown. He'd just had her and he already seemed to want her again. "Was it that good?" She asked, genuinely curious.

He didn't answer her, instead his lips met hers fiercely. He let out a growl as he pulled away. "Good ain't even the fucking word to describe that."

She threaded her fingers through his hair and pulled him in for another hungry kiss. "You're not so bad yourself."

"I know." He smirked. "I got the damn marks on my back to prove it."

She slapped his chest hard and rolled her eyes, but then her face grew serious. "I need you to know something."

He stilled himself and looked down at her intently, giving her his full attention.

"I know you hook up a lot and this. "She motioned between them. "Well, it probably wasn't anything different to you, but it was for me. I know I don't let it show a lot but I'm not exactly in the best place emotionally right now after breaking up with Ed. Tonight…How attentive you were with me. How much you wanted me….It just, it meant a lot to me. It feels good to be wanted."

He took a deep breath, unsure of what to say. He still didn't get how she could ever think someone one wouldn't want her. It had taken everything he had in him to wait until tonight to have her. Her ex had to be the biggest dumbass in the world to fuck that shit up.

And she'd said this wasn't different for him, but she was wrong, and he knew it. He didn't know why, but he knew being with her was something different. Sitting here and talking to her was different. She was different. "Ain't no problem. Anytime." He decided to go with to keep things light.

Things grew quiet. Just the two of them laying there in silence. "I can go to my room if you want?" She finally said. "I mean I know you usually dip out after this sort of thing and I'm kinda in your room. So I can go if you want."

He watched her as she went to roll off the bed, but he caught her forearm in his hand and pulled her back towards him. "Nah, you ain't gotta go. It's fine."

"You sure?" She was looking at him hesitantly. She wasn't sure if he really meant it or if he was trying to be nice.

He nodded. "I ain't sleepy. We might as well hang out, watch something…I mean…if you want."

"Yeah, I think I'd like that." She smiled, then settled back in bed with him.

()()()

He'd turned his TV on and they'd ended up flipping through channels until they settled on an old action movie, or he had at least. She hadn't seemed too interested in it. Yet, she'd stayed with him anyway. And some fucking how she'd ended up with her head on his chest and her leg draped over his. She was running her hands through what little chest hair he had with one arm and the other was draped around his waist.

An unsettling realization occurred to him. That feeling was still there. The one that sent waves of electricity throughout his body. It hadn't gone away like he thought it would once they slept together. In fact, it seemed almost more intense than before if that was even possible, and to make matters worse he had this fluttering feeling in his stomach as she laid against him like this.

If that wasn't bad enough, the fact that she was rubbing all over his chest and stomach was fucking driving him crazy and getting him in the mood again. She quickly picked up on that telltale giveaway that was poking up from under the sheets and she'd ran her hand over him and started sucking on his neck. He tried to focus on the movie. He tried to keep his hands to himself. He tried not to let it happen again.

It was only supposed to happen once. That was supposed to get it out of his system and then he'd be done with it. Hell, he'd never been with the same damn girl twice before. But it wasn't out of his system and he'd be a fucking liar if he said he didn't want her again. And she was touching him and he couldn't find the words to tell her to stop. His head told him this was a bad idea. His head told him he shouldn't let it happen again. But his dick was telling him something else and he didn't have enough blood in his brain at the moment to listen to his rationale side. "You're driving me crazy." He moaned, as she started trailing kisses down his chest.

"Good." She muttered, placing a kiss above his navel. "Do you have another condom?" She looked up, clearly conveying the want in her eyes as they connected with his.

"Mhm." He squeaked out, gripping the sheets tightly as she was making her way back up his chest.

"You want to? One more time?" She almost begged, positioning herself top of him, only the thin sheet covering his lower half separating them now.

He leaned up, connecting his lips on hers hard and tracing his hands over her again until they came to a stop at her lower back as he broke the kiss. "Hell yeah." He rasped.


	22. Chapter 22

Carol felt herself slowly slipping into consciousness and groaned. She wasn't ready to wake up and she felt comfortable and warm. She rolled over, not even bothering to open her eyes yet, hoping to reposition and fall back asleep quickly. As she rolled over she hit something next to her, or someone rather. She popped an eye open and noticed Daryl nestled beside her. He was laying on his stomach, his back fully exposed as the covers half hung off of his body. He had one hand pulled up over his face and another draped over her. "Shit." She mumbled to herself.

She hadn't meant to fall asleep in his room. She really hadn't. It sort of just happened after the second time they slept together last night. Hell, she hadn't even meant for that to happen more than once, but she couldn't help herself. It had been so good the first time and he was just lying beside her all shirtless and sexy and she couldn't stop herself. What would be the harm in letting it happen one more time? They'd already done it once.

She'd rolled off of him and onto her back, trying desperately to catch her breath and get her heartbeat to return to its normal rhythm. She'd planned on going to her room after and going to sleep. After all, she was exhausted by that point. But things hadn't exactly happened how she planned for them to. Somehow they'd ended up talking again and somehow she'd ended up with her head on his chest again and somehow they'd ended up watching a movie they both found hilarious.

They must have both drifted off to sleep unknowingly and now here she was waking up next to him as he had an arm wrapped around her. She found herself slightly freaking out at that fact. One reason being that she was sure if Daryl woke up and noticed he had an arm around her that he'd freak the hell out. Hell, once he realized she'd been in his room all night she was sure he was going to freak out. He never stayed the night with girls. Not ever. He'd told her that much. He damn sure wasn't the type to cuddle someone in their sleep, yet she woke up right next to him with his arm around her.

She was sure it wasn't intentional. He'd had to have just somehow ended up like that in his sleep, but she knew it would freak him out either way. She didn't want things to be awkward with him. She'd really come to enjoy his friendship. He was the closest thing she had to a best friend right now, and she didn't want to lose that or mess it up. Plus, she had to live and work with him. They definitely still had to be able to speak to and look at each other after this.

Another thing that had her freaking out, one that she didn't even really want to admit, was that she may have blurred the lines of this little hook up a bit herself. She shouldn't have laid her head on his chest after what they did. That probably wasn't something people that just hooked up did. She realized that now. But last night, it just felt natural. It felt normal to do after. She told herself it was because it was what she had been used to after sex. At least in the first few years of her relationship with Ed. And she'd liked that. She'd missed that closeness after sex the last year and a half or so of her relationship with him. Hell, they hadn't really been close at all the last year and a half.

Still, she shouldn't have stayed in his bed after the first time, and she damn sure shouldn't have after the second time. She had to get the hell out of this bed and she had to get out of it fast. She wanted to do it without waking him, but she wasn't quite sure how. She didn't know how light of a sleeper he was. She knew he hunted and that had to mean he was attentive and had good ears. She decided the best thing to do was to gently wiggle out from underneath his arm. She grimaced as she slowly slid out from under him, terrified he would wake up.

He grunted as she was about to roll completely out from under him and she froze in place. She watched him carefully as he rolled over and pulled his arm back to him, freeing her all the way. He pulled the covers over himself and mumbled something inaudible before clutching a pillow with his newly free hand.

Carol let out a quiet sigh of relief and made her way out of the bed. She gathered up all the strewn clothes she could find on his floor, which didn't include the shirt she'd taken off in the living room or her bra she currently couldn't find but guessed was somewhere underneath Daryl. She turned to look back at him before she opened her door. She couldn't help but smile at how cute he looked while he slept. She shook her head and hoped to herself that this hadn't messed things up between him.

Daryl rolled over, forcing his eyes open, despite every urge he had to stay in his bed. He could tell it was late, later than he normally slept anyway. He pushed himself up on his elbows and let out a yawn before looking beside him in the bed. He noticed Carol's lacey pink bra sticking partially out from under him. Memories from last night flooded his mind, bringing an involuntary smile to his face. Last night had been great. No, scratch that, last night had been fucking amazing. Maybe Rick would be pissed as hell if he ever found out, but he damn sure didn't regret it happening. Not for a second.

The first time was good. It was really good and it was easily the best sex he'd ever had in his life. And that included a three way he'd had with two study abroad students he thought would never be topped. The second time, though, holy shit, it had been incredible. She must have picked up on little things he liked the first time, and she made damn sure to use them to her every advantage the second time around.

That woman was a fucking force or nature in his opinion. From the way he felt when she so much as touched him, to the mind blowing chemistry they had in the sac, it was an invigorating experience. He knew it was going to be hard as hell to not let this happen again. Extremely fucking hard, and that was strange, because he never had the urge to be with the same woman again. Not ever. He'd already been with her twice, and to be honest, he wouldn't mind going at it again this morning.

He cocked his head as a thought crossed his mind. He suddenly realized he hadn't remembered her leaving his room last night. He remembered she'd laid on his chest again afterwards. They'd talked some and tripped out at a movie. Next thing he knew he was asleep. He wondered when she'd gone her room.

He blinked hard, another realization hitting him like a brick wall. Laying with her like that had been nice. Both times. Even before she'd asked him if they could do it again, he hadn't minded her next to him like that. Hell, he was pretty sure he couldn't remember the last time he'd fallen asleep as peacefully as he had last night with her next to him.

It should have freaked him out, it should have made him want to stay the hell away from her, except it didn't. In fact, he was a little bothered that she'd felt the need to get up at some point without a word. Sure, she hadn't gone far. Her damn room was barely twenty feet way, but still, he wouldn't have minded her staying there. He wouldn't have minded her being there when he woke up.

That realization was almost chilling to him, because he'd never have been okay waking up next to anyone else. No one. It was like he realized last night, though. This whole thing with her was so different. She made him comfortable. She brought a certain sense of security to him he didn't feel with anyone else. Maybe it's because they had formed a friendship first, he wasn't sure.

The only thing he was sure of at this point was that he wanted to make sure things were okay with them this morning. Especially since she'd dipped out of the bed without a word. She hadn't done the hook up thing before, and he wondered if she regretted it after the excitement wore off. He didn't want her to be uncomfortable with him. He didn't want this friendship they formed to be screwed up. He liked being around her. He liked talking to her, and he didn't feel that way about most people. He didn't wanna lose that with her.

He tossed the covers off of himself and scrambled to grab his boxers off the floor. He pulled them on and figured he'd go see if she was up. He wasn't gonna get completely dressed yet, because he didn't have anywhere to be, but he wasn't about to walk around the house naked either. He looked down and saw his shirt and tossed it on, too. He knew she'd seen his scars last night, but he didn't want them being brought to her attention again today.

He noticed his wallet on the night stand, still open from where he'd grabbed his last condom out of it last night. "Shit." He muttered, realizing he'd used both the ones he had stored in there. He walked over to his dresser and checked the box he'd bought a while back that was stored in his top drawer. He had two left in there and stuffed them in his wallet so he'd have some for future use. He didn't wanna end up in a position where he needed one and didn't have it. That's how Merle kept ending up with STD's. Well that and the fact that the man had no self-control.

()()()

Carol had gotten dressed and gone for a run after she'd snuck out of Daryl's room about an hour ago. She'd just gotten back about fifteen minutes ago and was in the kitchen making something to eat. Between her run and last night she'd worked up a hell of an appetite. She'd made enough for him in case he woke up too, and decided that was a good idea when she saw him rounding the corner into the kitchen.

"Morning." He mumbled, pulling out a chair and taking a seat at the table.

"Morning." She replied, a bit shyly. She could feel her face burning as she looked at him sitting there in only a pair of boxers and a shirt. His hair was sticking up everywhere, but his eyes and his face bore a very content, yet slightly awkward look.

"You been up long?" He asked, curiously.

"About an hour or so. I went on a run and started cooking when I got back. You hungry?" She picked up the pan she was frying sausage links in and showed it to him."

"Fucking starving." He replied, then gave her a mischievous grin. He was going to make a comment about how he she'd given him a hell of a work out last night, but she seemed a little guarded this morning so he decided not to.

She noticed how he was grinning at her and it before she knew it she was shooting one right back at him. She could tell he wanted to say something, but wasn't sure if he could. He was probably just as worried this morning would be awkward for her as she was worried that this morning was awkward for him. "Yeah, me too. You made me work up quite the appetite, Dixon." She watched him carefully, knowing that comment could make or break the mood between them this morning and desperately hoping it made it.

He looked at her, feeling his cheeks tinge slightly pink, and he couldn't help but let out a laugh. He felt relieved that she was comfortable enough to be joking with him about it this morning. "You complaining about it?" He teased, still grinning.

"Trust me, you won't ever hear me complain about that." She replied, looking him dead in the eye as she said it. No hint of a joke in her tone.


	23. Chapter 23

Carol had gone on about her business after they ate breakfast. She didn't want Daryl to feel like she was going to be stuck up under his ass just because they'd slept together. So she'd tried to keep herself as busy as possible and let him have some time to himself today. She did the dishes, then washed some clothes. Then she'd gone and cleaned her room, even though it really didn't need cleaning. After she was done with that she was scrambling around the house, trying to find something else to do to keep herself occupied when she felt a pair of hands land on her hips. She recoiled slightly, just because the unexpected touch startled her, though she immediately realized it was Daryl who was touching her and she relaxed. It wasn't like there was anyone else in the house. She turned around and tried to give him a scolding look for spooking her. "Are you trying to scare the hell out of me? I didn't even hear you walk up behind me."

"Yeah, you ain't supposed to." He snorted. "I'm a hunter. I'm good at being quiet." He paused and felt the corner of his lip turn up. "Can't say the same for you."

She went to smack him upside the head, but stopped herself, noticing his black eye that looked even worse than it did this morning. She still felt a little bad he got sucker punched because of her. So, instead of smacking him in the head like she wanted to, she brought her hand back around to his chest and twisted his nipple, hard. "Shut up." She muttered.

"Ow." He yelped, then jumped back. "Why the hell did you do that? It ain't a bad thing. I liked it. Besides, it lets me know I'm doing my job right."

She couldn't stop her own eyes from growing wide at his comment, but instead of letting it fluster her, she composed herself and bit back at him. "You weren't so quiet yourself last night." She countered, folding her arms across her chest and cocking her head.

He shrugged and gave her a sideways grin. He could keep going with this. He could have told her the reason he hadn't been quiet was because she'd been doing a damn fine job herself. He could have told her that last night was hands down the best sex he ever had in his life. And part of him wanted to, because she'd been worried about sleeping with him in the first place due to the difference in experience levels. But if they kept talking about it, if he kept thinking about last night, then he was going to end up trying something with her again.

Hell, if she'd still been in bed beside him when he woke up this morning he'd have tried something again, so it was probably a damn good thing she'd dipped out at some point last night. He shook those thoughts from his head. That's not what this was supposed to be. They weren't supposed to spend the entire weekend screwing around. It was supposed to be a one-night thing, and for all he knew she had no desire to do it again. He needed a distraction. Something to take his mind off of last night. To get out of the house and be somewhere public so he wouldn't be tempted. "Hey, you got a bathing suit?" He asked, an idea suddenly hitting him.

She cocked an eyebrow at him and smirked mischievously. "Yeah. Why? You wanna borrow it?"

He rolled his eyes at her. "No, jackass. Let's go to the athletic complex. We can go swimming. Climb the rock wall and shit. I wanna get out the house and do something."

()()()

She'd actually thought that getting out of the house and going swimming and climbing a rock wall had sounded like a lot of fun. It had been a while since she'd been swimming and Daryl said the pool at the college was heated, which was a plus since the spring air still had a slight chill to it. She'd gone and put on her bathing suit, sporting a pair of cut off shorts and a tank top over it to wear for the walk over. Daryl had opted to wear jeans over his shorts and a sleeveless cut off. They'd decided to walk to the complex rather than taking his bike since it was a pretty day outside. Once they'd gotten there Carol noticed there were hardly any cars at all in the parking lot. "Are you sure this place is open today? It's Easter weekend after all." She pointed out, looking over at Daryl.

He nodded over to an employee parking spot where a white Honda Accord was parked. "They're open. That's Maggie's brother's car. He works here. The email the college sent out said they would be open until six today and closed all day tomorrow." He walked to the front door and pulled his college ID out of his wallet, sliding it through the card reader so it would let them inside. He pulled the door open once he heard the click signaling it was unlocked and motioned for Carol to go on in.

She followed him once he stepped inside behind her because she didn't have a damn clue where they were going. She followed him to a room where lots of exercise equipment was and watched him give a small nod to a dark haired, tall boy wearing a pair of gym shorts and a gray t-shirt with the college logo on it. She recognized the boy from the band they'd seen last night. He was the one Daryl had said was Maggie's brother.

"How's your eye feeling, Dixon?" Shawn replied, giving Daryl a nod of his own.

"Hurt like a bitch last night." He muttered. "You saw that shit?"

"Everyone there saw that it." He laughed. "You should have stuck around to see Blake's face after. He got the worst of it."

"Blake? Was that his name? I didn't even know the asshole."

"His name's Phillip Blake. He comes in sometimes on Friday nights looking for younger girls. He's a business man pushing thirty. He runs that used car lot up the road from the lake. He's a real scumbag from what I hear."

"Yeah, so I gather." He mumbled, getting slightly angry again thinking about how the man had grabbed Carol by the wrist last night.

"Who's your friend?" Shawn called out, looking over at Carol who'd been standing there quietly while the two talked.

"I'm Carol Grimes." She replied with a smile, before Daryl could answer. "I work at your dad's vet clinic...or um…step dads." She corrected.

"Oh, yeah. You're Rick's sister. I've heard Maggie talk about you. It's nice to meet you." He extended his hand to her.

She shook his hand and didn't miss the watchful look Daryl was giving them the whole time. "Nice to meet you, too. I was actually with Daryl last night and we saw your band play. You guys are pretty good."

"Thanks. Maybe next time you guys can stay for the whole show."

"Hey." Daryl butted in, before the two could continue their little conversation. "Is the pool open? We wanted to go for a swim."

Shawn cocked his head to the side. "Technically, no." He replied. "We don't have a life guard on duty today." He reached in his pocket and pulled out a key ring, peeling a brass key off and tossing it to Daryl. "But if you somehow found your way in and went for a swim at your own risk then who am I to stop you."

"Thanks, man." Daryl called out.

"You're welcome. Just don't forget to lock the door and bring it back to me. Oh, and if one of you drown you didn't get that shit from me."

Carol followed Daryl until he came to two looked double doors. She watched him as he unlocked the door and slipped inside and she followed behind him. He quickly locked the door behind them so no one else would be able to get in.

"Pools all ours." He smirked, kicking his shoes off then going for the button of his jeans.

She followed suit, kicking her own shoes off and then removing her own clothes until she was only in her bikini. She ran a hand through her hair and then looked over at Daryl, who was only wearing his sleeveless cut off and a pair of swim shorts. He was looking her up and down and she watched him tug at his bottom lip.

She had to force herself to look away for a minute, because he looked so damn good when he was doing that and she already knew what he was thinking with his eyes glued on her like that. Shit. She thought to herself. They'd slept together twice last night, shouldn't that have been enough to satiate them both? At least for now. She walked over to the pool and dipped her foot in, testing the water and trying to keep her eyes averted from him. "It feels good." She murmured.

"Huh?" He replied, not really sure what she'd been talking about because he'd been too busy staring at her ass as she walked towards the pool.

She turned around and smirked at him. "The water. It feels good."

"Oh, yeah." He blushed, realizing he'd been caught. "Told you, the water's heated." He walked up beside her and stuck his own foot in.

She looked over at him, noticing he still had his shirt on. "You getting in?" She asked.

He nodded. "Waiting on you."

She moved a hand over her bikini clad body. "I'm ready. Take your shirt off."

He froze for a moment, remembering she'd seen the marks on his back last night. He met her eyes. Blue locked on blue and he shook his head. "I can swim with it on."

"It's harder to swim the more clothes you have on. Plus, there isn't a life guard on duty. What am I supposed to do if you start to drown?"

He scoffed at her. "I been swimming since I was three years old. Ponds, swamps, creeks, rivers, you name it and I swam in it. I ain't gone drown and I can swim with the shirt on no problem."

She looked over at him tenderly and brushed his bangs out of his eyes. "Take your shirt off, Daryl, it's just me." She reached down and tugged at the bottom of it, carefully looking up and meeting his eyes so she could stop if she saw he really wanted her to. He didn't seem to be protesting too much, so she swiftly pulled it over his head once it seemed certain he wasn't going to stop her. "See, that wasn't so bad was it." She looked him up and down, admiring his toned arms and defined stomach, biting at her own lip now. She met his eyes again, giving him one of those cute grins of hers. "Now you're not the only one who's gonna be staring."

They'd both finally gotten in the pool, well, after she'd pushed him in anyway. He'd gotten up and back out of the pool to chase her and she jumped in before he could catch her, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of pushing her back in himself. They'd raced from one end of the pool to the other several times and he'd beaten her every damn time and it was driving her crazy.

The last time they'd started in the deep end and they had agreed to go on three. She'd decided to get a head start, though, and had taken off right as he said ready. He'd cried out something about her being a cheating asshole as she took off, but she wasn't really listening. She'd been hauling ass to get to the other end of the pool before he could. Right as she was about to touch the concrete at the shallow end of the pool she felt herself being snatched by one of her feet. She squealed and tried to kick away from him, but it was no use. He had a good grip on her foot and he snatched her underwater. She quickly felt his hands go around her hips and he scooped her up, only to quickly slam her down in the water.

She was laughing when she came up for air. "No fair. You cheated, I was almost there." She saw him arch an eyebrow and come after her again, so she tried to swim away.

"You cheated first. We were supposed to go on three." He took off after her, knowing he was a faster swimmer and would be able to grab her in no time.

"I'm a girl. I should get a head start." She pouted, diving under water before he could close in on her.

"My ass." He grumbled. "You're just mad I'm better than you at something for once." He dove underwater after her and scooped his arms around her waist once again. She was kicking and fighting, but he had a good grip. Once they reached the surface he sucked in a breath of air and went to spin her around to face him. He still had a good grip on her and let go for a minute to move his hands under her thighs.

His plan had been to lift her up and power bomb her into the water like Merle used to do to him when they were kids. That didn't exactly work out, though. Because once he felt his hands graze her ass he became hyper aware that she was half naked in his arms, the front of her body pressed against the front of his. He stopped in place, his hands gripping her ass as he held her up. The angle he was currently holding her at had her head several inches above his. He looked up at her carefully, contemplating his next move.

She looked down at him curiously, wondering why the playful banter between them had stopped and why he was staring at her. She was about to ask him if something was wrong, when she felt him lower her slightly, bringing her face down level with his. She felt her breathing quicken with the way he was looking at her, the same want in his eyes she'd seen the night before. She knew what was going to happen before he made his next more. She knew she should stop it, she knew it wasn't a good idea, but she couldn't. She didn't want to. And the next thing she knew, his lips connected with hers and she met them eagerly.

As things grew heated he found himself backing them towards the steps that lead into the pool. She was still locked in his arms, her legs now wrapped tightly around his waist and her fingers running wildly through his hair. He felt his foot connect with the bottom step and let himself lean back, taking a seat on the second to last step. The lower half of their bodies were submerged in the water. His hands were sweeping over her body, mapping her out, appreciating every curve. He reached behind her back, not daring to break the kiss, slowly untying the strings to her bikini top.

She felt him undoing her top and at first she panicked a little, remembering they were in a very public place and not wanting anyone to walk in and see them like this. She quickly relaxed, remembering she'd seen Daryl lock the door behind them and knowing he still had the key Shawn had given him. She felt him break the kiss as he pulled her top off of her. She was about to grab his face and pull him back to her when she felt his mouth move over her breast. She let out a moan as felt his tongue swirl over her nipple. She threw hear head back, letting herself get lost in the moment.

He moved his hands from where they'd been traveling up and down her back and he let them slide down her rib cage until they came to a rest at the base of her hips. He could feel the strings on either side of her bikini bottom and began tugging at them, too, desperately trying to get them off as she rocked back and forth over him.

She felt him trying to tug her bottoms off and righted herself. He was sucking on her other breast now, and she took an opportunity to thread her fingers through the back of his hair and pull his mouth back up to hers. She hungrily met her lips with his. She knew he wanted her right now, she could feel him, rock hard, pressed against her and she wanted him, too, but she wasn't exactly sure this was the best place.

After all, did condoms even work in water? She moved her hands over his as they working the knots on her bikini. She broke the kiss and pulled away from him slightly. "You seriously think I'm having sex with you in the pool?"

He shrugged, as he pulled much needed air into his lungs. "Will you have sex with me if we go home?" He asked, hopefully, his voice almost pleading.

She shook her head and she heard him groan and his head landed on her shoulder. She couldn't help but smirk at him. "I didn't say I wouldn't have sex with you. I just said not in the pool."

He picked his head up and looked at her curiously. "You said we couldn't do it at home either."

She looked over to a door located in the back of the room. "I don't wanna wait until we get home." She growled, nipping at his neck. "What's in there?"

He glanced behind him. "Exam room for the swim team. Let's go." He growled.

She climbed off of him and grabbed his hand, pulling him in the direction of the room, her top still floating in the water. He stopped and she turned back to look at him like she was almost annoyed with him. "I gotta get my wallet." He explained, running and grabbing it out of the pocket of his jeans that were laying on the concrete. Once he grabbed it he ran back to her and he was kissing her again, hard and fast. He pinned her to the door before opening it, pressing his body fully into hers. Just enjoying the moment. When he finally reached behind him and opened the door he scanned the room, searching for the best place to get positioned at.

"Here." She nodded towards a counter. She jumped up on it, taking a seat, and pulled him to her as he stepped in front of her. "Perfect height." She muttered, pulling him for another kiss.

He started eagerly working the strings of her bottoms again, until he successfully had them undone this time. He felt her lift her bottom up so he could pull them out from under her. He pulled apart from her, taking a moment to admire her body. "God, you're gorgeous." He mumbled, dropping down on his knees.

"What are you doing?" She panted, wanting to know why the hell he wasn't getting ready to get inside her.

He kissed her inner thigh, making his way higher and higher. "Just relax and trust me." He said, huskily.

She threaded her fingers through the front of his hair as he started exploring her with his mouth. They hadn't done this last night. She hadn't asked him to and he hadn't made a move to. But she was damn sure enjoying it right now, even though he seemed to fumble around a bit at first. He seemed to be paying attention to what she was responding to most, and quickly picked up on a perfect rhythm.

He pulled away just as he could tell she was getting close. She let out a whine and he jumped up and met her lips with his. "Told you to trust me." He muttered, between kisses.

She didn't respond, instead she snatched his shorts down forcefully. He took the hint and quickly finishied tugging them off and tossed them to the side, stopping only to open his wallet and pull out one of the condoms he placed in there earlier. He tore the wrapper open and just before he slipped it on he stopped to look at her, almost as if he realized exactly where they were for the first time. "Are you sure you're okay with this? With us doing it here?" He forced himself to ask, though he was sure he'd kick himself if she ended up saying no and backing out.

She just smiled at him, winding her legs around him and pulling him in for another kiss. "You're sweet, Daryl. You really are, but right now I need you to stop talking and fuck me."

 **(I'm not good with smut. So sorry if this is awkward and weird and not good. I promise after we get through this weekend I won't take 20 plus chapters to describe a week anymore!)**


	24. Chapter 24

**(Lucky for you guys, I have free time tonight and all my friends are busy so I have nothing to do but write. I know updates have been lax lately, but I've had a lot going on. I'm hoping after next week I'll be able to return to daily/every other day updates. Anyway, here's the next one. Enjoy.)**

Daryl let out at lazy groan as the loud, repetitive sound of a beeping of a phone kept vibrating in his ears. He tried to ignore it at first, but the beeping wouldn't stop and he found himself reaching over to the night stand where it seemed the nose was coming from. He hadn't even bothered to peep his eyes open as he reached for the phone, instead, he instinctively swiped his thumb across the screen to accept the call. He would have just turned the ringer off and ignored it completely, but there was the chance that Hershel had an emergency at the clinic and he needed to actually take this call. Easter weekend was always his weekend to be the tech on call. He always volunteered since he didn't have the normal family obligations the rest of his co-workers had.

"What do you want?" He grunted into the phone sleepily, as he pressed it against his ear.

"Who the hell is this?" An agitated male voice demanded from the other end of the line.

Daryl popped his eyes open at the sound of voice coming in from the other end of the line. He didn't like this guy's tone at all, especially since the fucker had called his phone in the first place and woke him up and now he wanted to pop an attitude. "Daryl. Who the fuck are you?"

"Daryl?" The voice replied, clearly confused. "My bad. I must have had the wrong number. I was trying to get in touch with my girlfriend, err ex-girlfriend, I guess maybe she changed her number."

Daryl paused and looked beside him, Carol was sprawled out next to him laying on her back and appearing to somehow still be asleep between the ringing of the phone and the conversation he was having basically right next to ear. He suddenly realized it must have been her phone that was ringing this morning and he'd picked it up and answered it by mistake. Hell, it wasn't like he was used to having someone else's phone in his room in the mornings. He hadn't thought about the fact that it could be hers ringing. He didn't even half expect her to still be in his bed this morning.

An evil grin lined his face once he realized that this was the douchebag that cheated on her. He rolled over from his side, where he'd woken up with his face basically buried next to hers. He didn't wanna wake her up and he wasn't sure how she'd feel about what he was about to do, but he felt like this guy deserved it. "Nah, man. You got the right number. This is Carol's phone. You must be Ed."

"I, um. Yeah." The man stammered. "How do you know my name? Are you her brother? I thought his name was Rick?"

He let out a low laugh. "Nah, I ain't her brother and it's a damn good thing I ain't either."

"Look." The man sighed, growing agitated again. "Can I just, can I talk to Carol."

"Not right now, she's kinda still asleep. We had a long night. Know what I mean?" He didn' even try and hide the arrogance in his voice as he said it. "I'll tell her you called, though."

"Yeah, you do that." The man grumbled.

"Will do. I promise. Oh, and Ed, before you go. One more thing."

"What?" Ed snapped from the other end of the line.

"Thanks for fucking shit up with her. I've had the best weekend of my life because of it. Make sure you thank that secretary of yours for me, too." He was grinning to himself as he ended the call, not giving the guy a chance to say another word. He had no idea why the guy called, but he thought he had a hell of a lot of nerve to even be contacting after cheating on her, especially when there was a woman in New York carrying his child. Pathetic asshole. When he reached over to set her phone back on his night stand he noticed Carol was awake and she was staring at him, wide eyed and mouth gaping.

"Did you just answer my phone and tell Ed that we'd been screwing all weekend?" She asked, her voice guarded, yet stern.

He looked at her sheepishly. "I didn't mean to answer your phone. I wasn't exactly thinking about it being anyone else's when it started ringing. Ain't used to sharing my room." He looked down, worried he'd crossed a line and pissed her off. He let out a sigh and ran a hand through his hair. "Maybe I shouldn't have said all that, but the dickhead deserves to know you ain't sitting here being all miserable over his ass. Serves him right to have to think about you rolling around with someone else, waking up next to someone else."

She reached up and lifted his chin so that he was looking at her and not down at the bed. She smiled at him and shook her head. "I don't mind that you told him that, I really don't. In fact, I find it pretty hilarious. I'm just glad it wasn't Rick calling when you answered. That would have been a hard one to get out of."

His own eyes grew wide as he realized how bad that could have been. He had no idea how he would have explained that away. Sorry man, I know I promised not to touch your sister, but I nailed her four times this weekend. Hope that's cool with you? Yeah, he didn't see that going over so well at all. "We'd have been fucked." He mumbled, rolling back over onto his side to face her.

She let out a laugh and lazily ran her hand through his bangs, looking deep into his eyes. "Did you mean what you said?"

He gave her a funny look. "Have you met your brother? He'd shit a brick he knew we slept together. Not to mention if he knew it happened four fucking times in two days."

She pushed on his chest and rolled her eyes. "I'm not talking about that. I mean…What you said to Ed. About…About this being the best weekend of your life."

He felt his body stiffen. He hadn't thought about the fact that she'd heard that part. He felt his face redden and he tugged at his bottom lip. "It's been a really good weekend." He shyly mumbled.

She nodded, rolling over from her back to her side and leveling herself with him. "So?" She wondered aloud, as she twisted a long curl in her fingers and heard her own voice become unsteady and unsure. "You'd uh, rank me as one of best you've ever been with?"

He thought back to how self-conscious she'd been about them getting together at first and she'd almost changed her mind because she was sure it wouldn't be good for him because she didn't have the experience he had or how she wasn't like the girls he usually got with. And damn, had she been wrong. "Listen." He told her, softly. "I done slept with you four times as much as I ever slept with any other girl. "Trust me when I say this, you're the fucking best I ever had. Hands down. Hell, I obviously can't keep my hands off you." He snorted.

"You don't have to say that..." She tried to reason and assure him. She didn't want him saying things just to try and make her feel better over her own personal hang ups. She shouldn't have asked in the first place, but she'd been curious and had somewhat wanted to stroke her own ego, but when he said she was the best he'd had she'd strongly doubted that. What the hell would make her better than the other 25 or 30 girls?"

He rolled his eyes at her. "Stop. I ain't just saying that. I told you, I don't just say shit to make people feel good or to get what I want. I wouldn't lie to you about that. I mean fuck, what good would it do me? You already let me hit it."

She watched him carefully. Letting her mind think back to yesterday. What had happened at the athletic complex had been completely and utterly hot and insane and unlike anything she'd ever done before. She couldn't believe she let herself have sex with him in a public place. She'd never had sex somewhere that wasn't a house or apartment before. She never would have done anything like that with Ed, not ever. But she also knew she hadn't been attracted to Ed the same way she was to Daryl. She hadn't wanted him the same way she wanted Daryl.

Her attraction to him was raw, passionate, and intense. She had a hard time keeping her hands off of him, even when they weren't having sex. She just liked touching him. Running her hands over his beautiful stomach. It was like he was a fucking drug. A drug she couldn't get enough. And she was pretty sure she was going to go fucking insane when her brother got home later today and they didn't get to do it anymore.

That's why she'd ended up in bed with him again last night, even after the pool thing earlier in the day. It hadn't been the plan at first, really. They'd left the athletic complex shortly after the hook up in the exam room. They'd given Shawn the key back and walked home. Later, they'd gone to red box and rented several movies and she'd thrown something on the stove for them. They watched some movies, he'd played some video games, she'd read her book, then they'd both gone to bed in separate rooms. The problem was, as she was laying in her own bed, all she could think about was Daryl laying in his and how nice it would be to be pressed up against him again. So, she'd done something that probably wasn't that smart in retrospect. She'd texted him.

 _***Flashback****_

" _You still up? Carol sent in her text, though she was less than 100 feet away from his room._

" _Yeah. Can't sleep." Came his reply._

" _Me either. What are you doing?" She watched her phone waiting for him to reply. She could see the dots from where he was typing a message, but soon they disappeared and another message didn't come through. She thought she'd made an idiot of herself by even sending the first message and was mentally kicking herself, but she saw the dots reappear and soon another message followed._

" _Thinking about that swim we took earlier. That was a lot of fun. You look really good when you're wet. ;)"_

" _Lol. Yeah, it was A LOT of fun. You do, too. Especially from that downward angle. ;]"_

" _You liked that? =) I ain't really had much practice with it before. Don't usually do that."_

" _I guess you're just a fast learner then. But if you really want some more practice I'd be glad to let you try on me so more."_

" _Come to my room."_

 _****End of Flashback****_

And that had been it. She'd practically leapt out of her bed and tackled him as soon as she plowed through his door. They'd spent a lot of the night fooling around and he'd done just what he said he wanted to, he "practiced" on her some more. And after he'd gotten a substantial amount of "practice" in, they'd ended up screwing again. And she hadn't bothered to get up and go to her own room. Nope, once again, she'd rested her head on his chest and ended up falling asleep.

And here she was, laying right next to him the morning after, wanting to know how she ranked on his "list." And here he was telling her he was the best he'd ever had, and though she still found it hard to believe, she knew without a doubt he was the best she ever had and she wanted it one more time before Rick came home this evening and they couldn't do this again. So instead of arguing with him and telling him there's no way she could be the best he ever had, even after he tried to assure that she actually was, she pulled him into her and pressed her lips against his.

He seemed a bit surprised at first, but he eagerly kissed her back, matching her pace. It wasn't long before he was on top of her, rocking his body back and forth over hers and driving her insane. She could feel him inching closer and closer, getting ready to move into position, and she pushed against his chest. Reluctantly breaking the kiss and taking a much needed breath of air. "Wait. We need a condom." She panted.

"Fuck." He groaned, letting his head fall to her chest. "I used the last one I had last night."

She groaned and tossed her head back. "You don't have any stashed away somewhere?"

He shook his head, fucking pissed at himself for not buying more yesterday knowing he was so low. He was about to roll off of her and count his losses when he remembered something. Rick and Lori always used condoms. She didn't tolerate birth control well. It made her throw up. "Hang on a second." He said, kissing her hard and then jumping out of his own bed and bolting for Rick's room. He snatched the drawer of the night stand open and found an almost full pack. "Hell yeah." He mumbled to himself, grabbing a handful for good measure.

She watched him run back into the room, still semi hard and she just shook her head at him. He had a handful of rubbers in one hand as he leapt into bed with her with an accomplished grin on his face. "Did you seriously steal my brother's condoms so we could use them to have sex?" She cocked an eyebrow at him and raised up on her elbows.

He just shrugged "He ain't using them."

She just smirked at him and pulled his face to hers, enveloping him into a fiery kiss. "I'm the world's worst sister." She muttered against his lips.

"If you are that makes me the world's worst best friend." He murmured back. "But I don't give a fuck right now. I just want you." His breath came out hot and heavy against her neck as he reached down and gripped her ass, pushing her body further into his. His fingernails dug into the sheets as she started nibbling on his earlobe. He had no fucking idea how they were supposed to go back to how things were before after this weekend.

All he'd thought about last night before she ended up in his bed again had been her. And her falling asleep beside him last night, waking up with her tangled up with him, talking to her first thing in the morning. All of it had just felt so...so right. And what she was doing to him right now, what they were about to be doing. It was the best thing he'd ever felt in his life and he had no idea how being with anyone else could ever compare to it after.


	25. Chapter 25

Daryl was standing in front of the mirror in the bathroom, running a comb through his freshly washed hair. He could hear Carol in the next room, still on the phone with someone in her family. He wasn't sure if it was still Rick that she was talking to or one of her parents, but from the feigned sound of interest in her voice he was guessing her step-mom was taking a turn on the other end of the line.

Her phone had started ringing about halfway through them going at it. Of course, they'd both ignored it and kept at what they were doing. He'd assumed it was just her ex calling back and it somewhat gave him the motivation to put on an even better performance and make her scream his name louder. After they ignored the calls a second time and his own phone started ringing they'd both pieced together it must have been Rick trying to call instead. Still, they'd ignored his phone ringing, too. Neither of them willing to let anything put a stop to what was most likely the last time they were going to able to do this.

He'd kissed her before rolling off of her, and he'd put everything he had into that damn kiss. He knew it was probably the last time he'd be kissing her and found himself not wanting the moment to end. He half wished Rick was calling to tell them he was going to stay a few extra days so this weekend didn't have to end. But he didn't have that kinda luck.

Instead, Rick had only been calling because his sister promised to call her parents before church that morning. When she hadn't called them yet that morning Rick decided that he'd remind her since he and his family had to leave in the next thirty minutes in order to get to the service on time. Or at least that's what Rick had said in a text to both their phones while they were occupied with one another.

So, Carol had returned a call to her brother after they were done and Daryl had gone and hopped in the shower. There was no talking and laughing after, she didn't lay her head on his chest, there were no extra little kisses that would lead nowhere. It was almost like any other hook up would end for him. She got up and did her own thing and he got up and did his own thing. Though, unlike with any other hook up, he'd found himself disappointed that they didn't have that extra time together. He found himself standing in front of the mirror of his bathroom, _their bathroom_ , and wishing he was still lying in bed with her.

And as he looked into the reflection of his own eyes, he knew just how blurred he'd let these lines become over these last few days. And he decided that maybe it was a good thing they hadn't had that extra time together this morning. Maybe it was a good thing Rick was actually still coming home today. Because if he kept doing this, if they kept doing this, he was going to end up chin deep in shit creek with his mouth wide open, and he fucking knew it.

He looked at his own reflection one last time and he shook his head. He was glad he was smart enough to realize that shit this morning. Damn oxytocin _._ He thought to himself. Shit must get more potent each time you sex with someone. Why the hell do people's bodies have to release a fucking hormone that helps people bond and get attached when they have sex? At least he knew what it was and was smart enough to realize what was happening before he actually wound up liking this girl.

As he slid a pair of boxer briefs on and stepped out of the bathroom Carol was walking out of her room. Her phone was no longer in her hand. "What'd Rick say to you?" He asked, curiously. He wondered if her brother found it odd that they were both still asleep past nine in the morning. He knew Rick knew he was usually up and moving by at least 8, if not sooner.

She shrugged "He seemed a little suspicious at first, but I actually just told him that we went on a run and left our phones inside because our shorts didn't have pockets. Remember that if he asks." She warned him, pointing a stern finger at him.

He let out a laugh "Got you. We had a little early morning workout." She offered him a weak smile back, but didn't say anything else and he felt his face fall a little. She seemed so damn sad now and she'd been in a perfectly good mood when they woke up. "You good?" He asked.

She nodded at him and pulled at her bottom lip. "Rick isn't gonna be home until later this evening. He wants to stop by and see one of our friends from high school before he heads back."

He noticed how she looked a little disappointed and he knew she was probably missing her family and regretting that she hadn't actually gone with her brother, even if she was too damn stubborn to admit it. "Look, I gotta run to the clinic and do kennels, but when I get back we'll find something to do today. Whatever you want, okay?"

She nodded and went to head back to her room, but she paused and spun around on her heels. "Can I go with you to do kennels? I could help you walk the dogs in boarding."

He shrugged his shoulders. He didn't care if she came, plus he'd get out of there in half the time if he had help. "If you wannna come, yeah. Let me put some clothes on and we'll head out."

A sideways grin spread across her face and she cocked her head, taking in the view of him only wearing a pair of boxer briefs that clung to him perfectly. "I don't know. I kinda like what you're wearing now."

()()()

She'd helped him clean all of the runs and take all of the dogs out that were being boarded over Easter weekend. She'd even helped him change out all the litter boxes for the cats and helped him give medicine. He was impressed. She was good with animals and they'd seem to naturally take to her. He was actually glad she'd volunteered to come, because there was a Shar Pie that was usually mean as hell to everyone and tried to bite the shit out of him each time he tried to get a leash around its chubby little neck. The owner's boarded the dog every damn holiday and it was always a battle trying to get it in and out of the run safely.

It hadn't given Carol any shit, though. The damn thing had wagged its wrinkley little tail at her and jumped around in excitement as she talked softly to it. When she'd gotten it out of the run to walk it and she got close to Daryl it had immediately started snarling at him and she'd busted out into a fit of laughter. She'd calmly talked to it again and it flopped over on its belly and sprawled its legs in the air so she could rub it.

After they'd finished up in boarding he'd made his rounds through treatment and checked on everything. Thankfully, none of their critical cases had passed away during the night and he wouldn't have to make a phone call to Hershel on Easter about them losing a patient. He remembered back on Christmas of this past year he'd come in to find a cat dead. It was older and had cancer, but it had slowly been improving and Hershel had been thinking about sending it home in a few days if it continued to improve.

Unfortunately, it must have taken a turn for the worse during the night when no one was there. Everyone had worked hard on that case because the cat belonged to a long-time client and had been coming in since it was a kitten. Hershel decided to have camera's installed after that so he could monitor all of the critical cases from home. It had come in handy. too, and the man kept his eye on cases, even when he wasn't at work. He was so dedicated to his job and Daryl admired the hell out of the man for it.

As he made his way to the last cage he crouched down and opened the door to let the dog out. It was an older dog, a boxer mix, brindle in color. The dog flapped her tail at him eagerly and slowly made her way out of the cage and wallowed into his lap. He smiled and started rubbing her belly, being sure to give this dog in particular a little extra attention. "You feeling better today? Huh, Daisy? Are you feeling better?" He said softly, as he scratched under her chin and the dog let out a satisfied grunt.

Carol couldn't help but grin at the sight of him with the dog sprawled out in his lap. She stepped behind him and rubbed his shoulders, earning a few satisfied grunts from him. "She looks better than she did Friday when she came in." She commented, looking down at the dog, who looked like it couldn't be happier than it was right now.

He nodded, but his grin faltered when he looked in her cage and noticed the food bowl that was still full from where Maggie had done kennels the night before. "She still ain't ate, though. Going on a week now according to what the owner said."

"At least she isn't throwing up anymore. "Carol offered, trying to be positive about the situation. "She's hydrated from the fluids." She reached for the paper clipped to the cage and studied it carefully. "Her electrolytes look normal or they were yesterday when this was done."

He cocked an eyebrow at her and looked over the paper himself. "You been doing your damn homework ain't you?"

She just gave him a small smile and slumped down beside him to scratch the dog's belly. "You're gonna be just fine aren't you? We'll get you feeling better and home to your family in no time. Tell Daryl not to worry."

()()()

Once they'd finished up in treatment they'd walked outside together and he was locking the building back up. He pulled out his phone to check the time and noticed it was almost 12. "You hungry? We can go grab something to eat if you are."

She looked thoughtful for a second, but then shook her head. "Nah, I'm okay. I don't really wanna eat in some restaurant on Easter. People are gonna be out with their families and I think it'd just, I don't know, bum me out to see that."

"You wish you would've gone home?" He wondered aloud. He was glad she didn't, he really was, because this honestly had been the best weekend of his life like he'd told Ed on the phone earlier. But he knew she'd have probably rather have been with her family.

She pursed her lips and grew quiet for moment. "Do I miss my family and wish I was with them? Yeah." She admitted, almost grudgingly. "And if you ever tell Rick I said that I'll put my foot up your ass." She flashed a playful smile at him, but there was seriousness in her eyes that let him know she wasn't really kidding. "I don't regret staying home and spending this weekend with you, though. I really don't."

He gave her a half grin and nodded. "Me either." He headed towards his bike with her in tow behind him and before he got on a thought crossed his mind. "Hey, um." He nervously ran a hand across the back of his neck. "Hershel, he invites me to his house every year to eat with his family for Easter." He let out a small sigh. "I don't ever go, but if you wanna we can. I mean I know it ain't the same, I know they ain't your family, but it's something. Annette's a hell of a cook, too. Best Mac and Cheese I ever had."

She thought about it for a minute. A part of her wanted to go, but they hadn't invited her. They invited Daryl. These people barely knew her. She'd feel like she was intruding. "I don't wanna put them out. They don't really know me and they aren't expecting me."

Daryl snorted. "You don't know Hershel very well, yet. If I mentioned you weren't damn going home for Easter to him he'd have made my ass come and bring you. Let's go. You'll love his house. It's in the middle of nowhere and he's got horses and all kinds of land. Besides, we can finally hit up the shooting range and see which of us is the better shot."

"You're on Dixon. Let's go." She smirked, caving and agreeing without too much of a fight.

"You're too damn easy." He smirked back, slinging a leg over his bike.

She scoffed. "You're one to talk. Look how easy it was for me to get you in bed and break that little promise you made my brother."

()()()

They'd gone to Hershel's and he and Annette had been thrilled to have the two of them over for lunch. They'd made plenty of food and all the Greene kids were there, as well as Glenn. The youngest Greene daughter, Beth, had brought a date as well. His name was Jimmy and apparently his family was pretty close with the Greene's. Carol was a little surprised at how close they let the two younger kids be with one another. She hadn't seen a moment when they weren't holding hands or touching. Beth couldn't have been over sixteen. Carol's parents would have flipped a script if they'd seen her that close to a boy at that age.

Carol found it somewhat endearing, though. Sure, they were young and it was all probably going to blow up in their faces, but at the moment it was sweet. Sickeningly, sweet. "Is that your sister's first boyfriend?" Carol asked Maggie as a group consisting of those two, Daryl, Glenn and Shawn headed to the horse stables so they could all go for an after lunch ride.

Maggie rolled her eyes. "Yeah, and she's head over hills, too. She thinks the boy hung the damn moon. And Daddy just lets them be all over each other like that. I've been with Glenn two years and I'm grown and he had a damn fit when I moved in with him last year. I swear, the baby of the family always gets away with everything."

Carol cackled. "Tell me about. I wasn't allowed to date back when I lived at home, yet Lori got to stay the night with Rick when he'd go home for the weekend."

"That's a boy thing, too, I think. Shawn could bring girls home and take them straight to his room when we were in high school and no one batted a damn eye. Beth finds my birth control and takes it to daddy and you'd think I was going to burn in hell."

Carol snorted. "You might wanna give Beth some of that."

Maggie laughed, but in her head she thought that was probably a good idea. Her dad thought Jimmy was a good boy and he wouldn't do anything like that, but Maggie knew that despite being a good kid, he was still a 17 year old boy and he was in love. It was a recipe for disaster. "I'm glad you and Daryl came today." She said, changing the subject and wanting to quit thinking about her younger sister's sex life, or hopefully, the lack thereof.

"Yeah, me too. Annette's a good cook. Your parents are both really nice and I'm so grateful to them for giving me a job and making me feel so welcome today."

"Hey, you're welcome here anytime. The clinic, everyone who works there, it's like a family."

Carol nodded and smiled at Maggie. She could tell that was true. It was a tight knit group there, it really was and she fit in with them well.

()()()

They'd stayed at Hershel's practically all afternoon. They'd taken the horses out and ridden through the woods for what felt like hours. Carol had never ridden one before, though Daryl didn't believe her at first, so she'd ended up on the back of the one he was riding. She'd just never been around them before and didn't know anyone with property of land like this where she could ride. Before the day was over she did go on a quick trot around the barn on one to familiarize herself with one so she'd be more comfortable riding alone in the future.

They'd also walked down to the creek and showed her their pond. Daryl told her he comes fishing and hunting out here a lot and said if he wanted he could bring her sometime. She didn't really hunt, but she'd consider coming out here and going fishing with him. The land was beautiful and you could see a view of the mountains in the distance from the highest point near where Hershel kept his crops. The view was breath taking and she envied Maggie and the others for getting to grow up there.

Before they'd left, Daryl had insisted on them going to the shooting range. He'd wanted to see if she could really shoot as well as she claimed, and true to her word, she didn't disappoint. He was left gawking at how good of a shot she was, though she had to admit, Maggie could shoot pretty damn good, too. Hell, she shot better than Glenn did.

()()()

Eventually, they'd told Hershel and Annette thank you for inviting them and they'd made their way back home. They were invited back anytime they wanted to, but were both made to promise to come back fourth of July if neither had plans. Hershel seemed thrilled that Daryl actually made it out there this year and he'd hugged the boy before he left. She noticed how Daryl cringed a little at first before relaxing under the older man's touch. She assumed it went back to his childhood, and it made her a little sad for him.

"I'm glad you talked me into going." She told him, as they walked in their house late that evening.

"Shit, I am, too. I had a lot fun today. I told you they wouldn't mind if you came."

"You did, they're really good people." She smiled, and fell onto the couch.

Daryl nodded and walked into the kitchen, putting away two plates Annette had insisted that they take home. As he walked back in the living room he plopped down beside her. "Rick on the way yet?"

She pulled her phone out and looked at the last text from her brother. "He left about five minutes ago. He should be here in about two hours."

Daryl briefly thought about asking her if she wanted to get one more round in before he got back, but he thought better of it. It wasn't a good idea and he knew it. The way that things ended earlier really was for the best. "You wanna watch some TV?" He suggested instead.

"Sure." She picked up the remote and flipped through the channels until she landed on some older movie that looked like it was from the 80's.

"Stop." Daryl called out. "Leave it here."

She cocked an eyebrow at him. "What is it?"

He looked at her like she had two heads. "You ain't never seen _IT_ before?

She rolled her eyes at him. "No, that's why I asked you what it was. Now what's the name of the movie?"

He grunted. "The name if the movie is, _IT._ I can't believe you haven't seen this before. It's a classic Stephen King movie.

"The only Stephen King movie I've ever seen was one where they buried this cat and it came back to life and tried to kill them and when my own cat died when I was seven and my parents buried it in the backyard I swear I had nightmares that the thing came back to life and tried to kill me for a week."

"Pet Cemetery." He recalled fondly. "That's a classic, too."

"Does this movie involve animals coming back to life and trying to kill people?" She asked him cautiously, trying to determine if she was actually going to watch it with him.

He thought to himself for a second and shook his head. "Nah. Now shut up and let's watch the movie."

()()()

"I'm going to fucking kill you, Daryl. I hate clowns." She squealed, once she actually found out what _IT_ was and got the first glimpse of him in the movie.

"You didn't say nothing about clowns." He reminded her with a laugh. "Come on, it's fake. It can't hurt you."

"That fucking clown has razor sharp teeth." She yelled, pointing at the screen as she hid her head in the couch.

He just rolled his eyes at her and laughed again. "Open your damn eyes before you miss the best part."

Somehow she forced herself to watch the rest of the movie and as they reached the end she squeezed her eyes shut as tight as she could and lunged herself as his chest, burying her head in his shirt. "It turns into a spider? A fucking spider?" This time she wouldn't look up at the screen again, instead she gripped him tighter and nuzzled her head further into his chest. "The one thing that creeps me out more than clowns is spiders. I swear you did this on purpose."

She was droning on about how he forced her to watch this movie and how much it creeped her out, but he wasn't really hearing her anymore, all he could think of was how good it felt to have her pressed against him again and how he liked her holding onto him tightly like this, as if she knew he'd protect her if something scary really was there.

He knew this wasn't going to lead to sex. Rick would be home any minute, and there was nothing sensual about this at all, yet he still enjoyed it. It was like she fit perfectly in his arms. Like she was meant to be there and suddenly something Hershel said earlier in the day started replaying in his head.

They'd been taking a tour of his house and there was a picture of him when he was probably about Daryl's age. He was lying on a couch with a pretty young girl pressed against his chest. They were both smiling and you could tell how in love they were. Carol had asked him if that was Annette and a sad smile spread across his face as he'd told her it wasn't, that it was Maggie's mother, Josephine. He'd then told her that picture was one of his favorite's he had of her. The day that picture was taken was the day he'd realized he was in love with her. She'd laid on his chest and he said it just felt like she fit there, like it was a piece of a puzzle he'd been missing his whole life, but it was complete once he found her.

It was in this fucking moment that he realized what was so different about Carol. Why kissing her sent shockwaves throughout his body, why he liked it when she laid next to him and rested her head on his chest, why he wanted to be around her all the damn time, and why even when she was in her damn room less than a hundred feet away, and he was in his he was still fucking thinking about her. Why he broke every damn rule he had when it came to women with her. He liked her, and it wasn't some school boy crush either, he really fucking liked this girl. And it was too damn late to stop it or just turn it off. He was in way too damn deep now.

"How does this not freak you out?" She exclaimed, the loud sound of her voice bringing him back to reality.

He took a deep breath and tightened his grip around her, pulling her closer to him, if that was even possible. "It fucking terrifies me."

()()()

The front door opened and an exhausted Rick felt glad to be home. He'd had a good weekend with his parents, that was, up until today when they'd gone to church. He had forgotten about the fact that Lori's family went to the same church his parents did. And what did he see at church? Well, nothing other than Lori and Shane, together, holding hangs, sitting happily with her family. That had been a gut punch from hell, and he was ready to get home and talk to his sister about it. She always had a way of making him feel better about things like this and he knew she'd understand. He sighed as he walked through the door. "Hey, Carol." He called out, but stopped in place and let his jaw drop at the sight on the couch before him. "What the fuck is this?" Rick demanded


	26. Chapter 26

**(Here's another. Enjoy. Thanks for reading and reviewing.)**

Daryl drifted his gaze from where it was absently lingering on the television and turned it to Rick who was standing in the door way, demanding to know what was going on. The man looked pissed, and this was nothing compared to the positions he could have caught them in this weekend if he'd been home. He didn't know what to say. Hell, he wasn't even sure how to deal with the fucking feelings he just realized he'd had for her less than five minutes ago. He damn sure didn't want to have to deal with Rick on top of it. He moved his gaze from Rick back down to Carol and slowly pulled his arms out from around her.

Carol lifted her head from Daryl's chest, no longer worried about the creepy ass spider on the television. Her brother clearly didn't like walking in and seeing her laying in his friend's arms like that, and she knew she had to do damage control before he suspected something. Daryl sure as hell wasn't going to be able to. The poor boy looked like a deer caught in head lights. She shot her brother a stern look and sat up straight, crossing her arms over her chest. "We were watching a movie about a creepy ass clown. You know much I hate clowns." She reminded Rick. "Then when it gets to the end it turned into a huge ass spider and I just freaked out and lunged at Daryl without thinking. Relax, it isn't a big deal. He was just holding me because I was freaked out. Stop being such a titty-baby about it." She rolled her eyes for an added measure of sass. "It's not like you walked in and we were doing it."

Rick looked at them both carefully. Daryl still hadn't said anything, but his sister seemed pretty adamant that this whole thing he stepped in on was innocent. She even seemed annoyed that he thought there was more to it, but he couldn't help but wonder. There was something about the way Daryl was holding her in his arms. There was something intimate about the way they were laying there together on the couch with their feet propped up on the coffee table. And when the fuck had he ever seen Daryl hold any girl in his arms period? What was up with that? "So you're both telling me that nothing happened between the two of you? Nothing at all while I was gone."

"Rick." Carol sighed heavily. "Do you really think something happened between us?"

Daryl looked at her out of the corner of his eye. She always did that shit. Even to him. She answered a question with a question if she didn't wanna tell you something. He'd picked up on it by now and he'd barely known her over a week. Rick had to know she was trying to divert his attention with that. He'd grown up with her, he should know all of her tricks.

Rick stood there looking at both of them, his hands resting on his hips like he was a chastising parent. He let his head fall. He didn't know what to think. He'd like to think they both respected his wishes and kept their hands to themselves. But his sister was pretty, and Daryl, well he was Daryl. Rick sighed and looked up, this time setting his sights solely on his friend. "Nothing happened, right Daryl?"

Daryl bit the inside of his lip. He wasn't good at lying to someone's face. He never had been. He momentarily wished he was more like Merle in that regard. His brother could lie right to your damn face if it served his purpose. Daryl was pretty sure the fucker was such a good liar he could convince someone the sky was purple. Instead of lying, he decided to go with one of Carol's moves. "Hey, I said nothing was gonna happen didn't I?" He titled his head after he said it and it caused his bangs to flip back out of his eyes.

Rick was contemplating Daryl's words. That was true, he'd told him he wouldn't do anything. Daryl had been a good friend so far and he'd never lied to him, as far as he knew. As Daryl tilted his head and his hair flipped Rick couldn't help but notice the shiner on his eye. "What the hell happened to your eye?" He asked, momentarily forgetting about the situation at hand.

Daryl had almost forgotten about the black eye he'd been sporting since Friday night. Even though everyone at the damn Greene house had asked about it earlier, even after Shawn had already told everyone about his little fight that night. Daryl cleared his throat and ran a hand through his hair. This was either going to make things better or worse on whether or not Rick thought something happened between them, and he wasn't sure which it would be. "Carol wanted some seafood Friday night. I took her out to Ty's on the lake. Shawn's band was playing and we were gonna stay and watch them for a while after we ate. I asked her to get me a drink and some asshole at the bar wouldn't leave her alone, even after she told him she wasn't interested. Dude grabbed her by the wrist and I got up in his face. Carol talked me into leaving before I could hit his ass first and next thing I know the little bitch sucker punched me." Daryl smirked smugly to himself. "I got the jump on him after and laid the fucker out."

"Some guy rough housed you?" Rick said worriedly, running and taking a seat by his sister. "Why didn't you call or text me."

Carol shrugged. "Because you'd do this. I'm fine, Rick. I promise. It didn't even leave a bruise." She turned her wrist and over and showed her brother she wasn't harmed. "Daryl's the one who got hurt because of it."

Rick's demeanor softened and he looked over at his friend and then back at his older sister. "Thank you." He nodded at Daryl. "It means a lot to me that you were here to look after her while I was gone."

Daryl just shrugged and nodded back. "No problem." He mumbled.

Rick ran a hand through his own hair, feeling guilty for coming in and screaming at both of them. "Listen, I shouldn't have come in here accusing you two of stuff like that. She was scared about the movie and you were there for her. That's all. Like you were this weekend when that guy grabbed her. And I appreciate the hell out of you for it, I really do." He paused, thinking back to why he was in a bad mood anyway. "I saw Lori and Shane at church this morning, and I don't know, I guess I've just been in a pissy mood ever since. I shouldn't have come in here taking it out on you two."

Carol's face fell. She saw the look of hurt in her brother's eyes as he relayed the story of running into those two and her heart broke for him. She reached out and wrapped an arm around his neck. "I'm so sorry. You wanna talk about it?"

He let his eyes fall and his voice grew low. "It doesn't matter. If you're busy we can talk later. I didn't mean to bust up in here and ruin the movie you were watching."

She shook her head. "The movie was going off when you came in. I'll make some popcorn and we can put some cheesy movie on that'll make us laugh. We can even build a fort if you want. Like when we were kids." She smirked.

Rick let out a little laugh. "Yeah, sounds perfect."

"Good." She replied, slapping her brother on his knee as she stood up to go get the popcorn ready. She looked over at Daryl who was chewing on his thumb. "You want some, too?"

"Nah. I uh, I think I'm gonna to bed early tonight. I'll see you guys in the morning."

Rick looked at him quizzically. "You sure? It's barely 9."

Daryl nodded. "Yeah, man. I'm beat. Goodnight."

Carol met his eyes. Something didn't seem right and she knew it, but she'd learned enough about him to know he didn't wanna talk about it. She wondered if it had something to do with lying to Rick and everything that happened between them. He'd seemed perfectly fine until her brother got home. In fact, he'd been in an awesome mood all weekend. "Goodnight, Daryl." She offered.

()()()

Daryl peeled his clothes off and fell back into bed in only his boxer briefs. His mind was reeling. How in the hell did this happen? How did he end up getting feelings for this girl? Was it because he slept with her more than once? No that couldn't be it. He'd felt that jolt of electricity first time she'd pecked him on the damn cheek. Was it the first time he saw her? He didn't exactly believe in that love at first sight shit that you saw in movies. Not that this was love. He didn't even know what the fuck love was. Why the fuck did he even think about the word love? "Fuck." He groaned to himself, pulling a pillow over his face.

He forced himself to stop thinking about that word. That word made him cringe and he didn't wanna be even more freaked out that he already was. He started trying to piece back together the moment he got these...feelings. Sure, he'd been attracted to her that first night, but he didn't think that's when he started to like her.

He thought about the day he'd spent taking her around town. He thought about how they'd flirted when they went out that night and how they'd been caught by Glenn and Maggie. Then he thought about how he went to smoke and that girl tried to pick him up. He'd almost gone with her. He'd wanted go with her, but then that damn guilty feeling popped up and he couldn't. He'd thought about Carol and how wrong it would feel to go home with that woman. He fucking liked her then and he didn't even realize it.

That's why he hadn't gone with that girl. That's why he hadn't tried to pick up another girl since meeting her. He subconsciously liked her this whole damn time and he didn't even know it. It wouldn't have mattered if he slept with her or not this weekend, he was already fucking hooked before he got a damn piece. Not that sleeping with her had fucking helped the situation, hell it probably made it worse. Now all he was going to be able to think about was how good it was and how much he wanted to do it again. And she was always going to be around. Always. At work. At home. The only time he wouldn't see her would be when he was in class.

What was he supposed to do? Tell her he liked her? Ask her out on a date? He couldn't do that. Hell, even if he wanted to it wouldn't do a bit of damn good. She'd made it clear she just wanted this to be a hook up. She'd made it clear she was done with relationships after what her ex put her through.

Not that she'd ever take him seriously anyway. Fuck, he'd been with damn near 30 women and she knew it. It had almost been enough to make her not want to sleep with him in the first place. He was sure she wouldn't be able to ever consider anything serious with him because of it.

But did he really want that anyway? In the long run she'd hurt him or he'd hurt her. It was just a fact of life. He didn't wanna hurt her. He really didn't. He fucking hated seeing her sad and he never wanted to be the reason she was sad. Not ever. He wasn't sure what would hurt worse. Her eventually hurting him or him hurting her and having to live with being the reason she was in pain.

Not that any of that mattered, either. Not really. This wasn't just some girl he happened to end up liking. It was Rick's fucking sister. And he knew Rick would never be okay with him going for her. She was off limits and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about.

And knowing he wasn't going to be able to kiss her again, knowing he wasn't going to be able to hold her in his arms again, to touch her again. It made his stomach turn. He wanted to fall asleep with her on his chest. He wanted to wake up next her in the morning, he fucking wanted her under him again tonight. He wanted all of this so bad it almost physically hurt him to know he couldn't have it.

He had to do something about this. He had to stop liking her. He had to get his mind off of her. He thought about fucking another girl, but would he really be able to do it when it came down to it?

()()()

Carol walked from the kitchen to the living room with a fresh bowl of popcorn and crawled into the make shift for they'd made from the couch and the recliner. She intently listened to Rick as he bemoaned the Lori/Shane situation to her for the thousandth time. She knew he still felt hurt and betrayed. She really did, but she also knew it was time he tried to move on. It had been over two months and he couldn't' keep doing this to himself. Hell she was glad she'd been smart enough to try and move on as soon as she did.

Sleeping with Daryl had been the best decision she'd made since leaving Ed. She hadn't thought about him once this entire weekend until he called her phone this morning. Hell, she hadn't thought about him since he called, either. She hadn't bothered to call him back after Daryl answered her phone. She didn't give a damn what he wanted and she had no desire to talk to him at all.

At first, she'd thought she'd feel vindicated from sleeping with another man. She thought she'd feel like she was getting back at Ed in some sort of weird way by getting with Daryl. But after it happened Ed and his feelings hadn't crossed her mind. She'd gotten lost in this weekend with Daryl and she'd had a damn good time. She'd been happy, happier than she'd been in a long time. And sure, a lot of it had to do with the sex. Fuck it was great. But she also knew a lot of it had to do with the fact that she just liked being around him in general. He was funny, and sweet, and kind. And if this was before Ed, if it was before she'd given up on relationships, she could see herself falling for this boy. She really could.

He made her feel good about herself. He made her feel safe. She was comfortable with him, more comfortable than she'd ever been with anyone in her entire life. And it didn't make a damn bit of sense, because she hardly knew him. But she couldn't let herself feel it with him. She just couldn't. Not even if she wanted to. She had to keep those walls up. She had to keep her heart protected. She couldn't let herself get hurt again.

Besides, Daryl was the last person who'd ever want to be in a relationship anyway. Even if she let herself like him, she'd just be setting herself up for heartbreak. Plus, he was Rick's friend, her roommate, her co-worker, her friend. She'd have a lot to lose if she went there and it didn't work out. She supposed it was a good thing she knew he'd never want more with her.


	27. Chapter 27

Rick and Carol had stayed up pretty late binge watching cheesy old movies and talking. Carol was pretty sure her brother could have stayed up all night lamenting the Lori/Shane fiasco. Hell, it had been two in the morning when she'd finally had to interrupt him and tell him she had to go to sleep so she could function at work tomorrow. And he hadn't wanted to quit talking then. Every time she'd try to leave the room he'd start on something else. As much as she loved Rick and felt for him, she couldn't listen to it for another second at that point. She was exhausted and she just wanted to get in her bed and if he didn't shut the fuck up she was going to give him a new reason to cry before the night was over.

Despite her better judgement and her normal, loving sister nature, when he'd tried to keep talking to her after he third attempt to go to sleep that night, she may have lit in to him a bit and said some things she shouldn't have.

()()()

" _I just, I can't believe they did that to me. He was my best friend, Carol. My best friend. He was like a brother to me." Rick groaned. "And I loved her. I loved her more than anything in this world. I was saving up for a ring. I had one picked out and everything."_

 _Carol bit her bottom lip. Trying to force herself not to remind Rick that he'd said that her a hundred times before. She was leaning against the wall beside the hallway of her bedroom, her eyelids heavy with sleep and her arms crossed tightly over her chest. "At least you didn't waste the money on the ring." She yawned. She was hoping the fact that knowing he didn't waste thousands of dollars on someone who didn't' deserve it would be something to put him in a bit of a better mood. It would have put her in a better mood. Hell, she was still pissed she wasted 300 bucks on Ed's birthday present the month before she found out he was a cheating asshole. If only she'd found out a month sooner she'd have had more money coming home. Maybe she could have sprung for first class._

 _Rick's mouth gaped and his pupils widened. "It wouldn't have been wasted money." Her younger brother snapped. "I loved her, I really loved her and I wanted to spend my life with her. If I'd have given her that ring, if I'd have been a better boyfriend, maybe, if I listened more. Maybe she wouldn't have gone after Shane. Maybe she'd still be with me."_

" _No." She barked. Her patience clearly gone at this point. She would listen to Rick say he missed her. She'd listen to him say he missed Shane. She'd listen to him bemoan what could have been. But she would not listen to her brother sit here and blame himself for the two people closest to him in the world crushing him like that. "You didn't do a damn thing wrong, Rick. She did. She's a heartless bitch and he's a fucking selfish asshole." She sucked in a deep breath, knowing he wasn't going to take this well, but knowing it needed to be said. "You can't keep doing this. You can't. You gotta get the fuck over it, Rick. You have to go out. Meet other people. Find another girl. Do whatever it takes and get your mind off of that stupid, bitch. She didn't ever give a damn about you, and neither did he. You're better off without both of them."_

 _Rick shot her a hard look, his eyes dark with anger. "You know what? You're a real piece of work. You sit here and say all that, but what do you know about it? Huh? What the fuck do you know about what she felt for me? What do you know about our relationship? How often were you around the last two years?" He shook his head and set his jaw. "You come back here and act like you don't give a shit about Ed. About how your relationship ended. You were with him four years. You gave up everything for him, and it's like it doesn't even bother you that it's over. Then there's how you act with mom and dad. Take a look in the mirror before you call someone a heartless bitch."_

 _She gritted her teeth and bit back every single urge she had to completely go off on him. He didn't have the first fucking clue about how she felt about her relationship ending. About how she felt about their parents. About how she felt about anything. Sure, she loved her brother. She'd do anything for him and she knew he'd do anything for her. But he was pretty fucking self-absorbed sometimes and she wasn't sure he had the first clue about anything really going on inside her head. She kept her voice calm and collected, being sure to lock her eyes on his. "I was wrong. Lori was exactly the kinda girl you deserved and Shane was the perfect best friend for you. Shame on me for thinking you should have anything better. Call one of them the next time you wanna cry for five hours."_

 _()()()_

To say that tensions were high at the Grimes-Dixon breakfast table the next morning would be an understatement. Carol and Rick weren't speaking, hell they wouldn't even look at one another. As always, she'd been the first to get up. She'd gone on her run and then came back in and made something to eat. Anytime she ever made breakfast she usually cooked for all three of them. However, this morning she'd only made enough for two. When Rick had come in and tried to grab the second plate she'd scowled at him and snatched it away. She made sure that he knew she'd made it for Daryl. Rick scowled back and went back to ignoring her, going off and pouring himself a bowl of cereal, then the two sat at the table in silence.

The room was tense and the silence was almost painful. Carol had felt relieved when Daryl finally got up and joined them for breakfast. Her relief at his presence was short lived, though. He was almost just as quiet as Rick, and he did his best to avert her gaze as well. He wouldn't even eat the food she'd made. He told her he just wasn't very hungry this morning, though she could swear she'd seen his mouth water at the site of the French toast she'd made. She'd intentionally topped it with lots of strawberries and whipped cream, knowing it was his favorite.

The three of them sat in the kitchen together as Carol and Rick finished eating and as Daryl finished a glass of orange juice. Daryl and Rick exchanged a few grunts about how much school work they had to get done this week, but neither spoke to her. Rick had eventually gotten up without a word and headed for the front door. He'd left without saying a word to his sister, though he was usually the one who dropped her off at work in the mornings.

Rick's abrupt nature and the tension between the siblings was apparently enough to get Daryl to eventually decide to speak to her this morning. "You two have a fight last night or something?" He mumbled, absently running his finger along the rim of his cup, not bothering to meet Carol's gaze.

"We did." She sighed.

His eyes grew wide with panic and he finally met hers. "About us?" He squeaked.

"No. It was about Lori and Shane." She paused and a frown lined the corner of her lips. "Or it was. It somehow became about me and him."

He looked down again once he knew Rick hadn't found out about their weekend tryst. Nervously twiddling his thumbs and shaking his leg as they resumed sitting at the table together in silence.

She finally stood up and pushed her chair under the table, grabbing her dirty dish and taking it to the sink. "I need you to take me to work." She informed him as she turned around.

He nodded and ran a hand across the back of his neck. "Let's go." He muttered, sounding very unenthused.

()()()

The ride to work had almost been as uncomfortable as the breakfast. Daryl had tensed the moment she'd wrapped her arms around him after climbing on the bike. He hadn't relaxed the entire ride to the clinic either. She even saw a look of relief wash over his face after he'd dropped her off and turned to leave. She'd called out to him before he pulled off, asking him if something was wrong. He'd told her that there wasn't. He mumbled something about being tired as he locked eyes with the pavement and chewed on his thumb nail.

She knew he was lying. She knew that much without a doubt. There was no way he could have been tired. Hell, she was the one who had a right to say she was tired. She'd barely slept after her argument with her brother. Daryl had gone to bed at nine last night. There was no reason at all for him to be tired this morning.

And although she didn't know what was on his mind, she was smart enough to figure out that it had something to do with her. That much was obvious from the fact that he wouldn't hardly talk to her or look at her, and her touching him made him cringe. She felt like he didn't want anything to do with her now.

And it fucking hurt her to think that. It hurt a lot. And she couldn't understand it. Not at all. He'd fucking been glued to her all weekend. And one look, one touch had been enough to have him ready to pounce on her up until this point. Today, it seemed like he was almost repulsed by her.

She shook her head sadly as she walked into the clinic that morning. Between the fight with Rick and whatever the hell was going on with her and Daryl, today was going to a long, miserable day. A fucking long, miserable day.


	28. Chapter 28

On top of all the personal woes Carol was feeling on Monday, her work life sure wasn't going to make anything easier for her. By lunch time, almost 75 clients had signed in. The total for people seen in a day usually hovered around 100, so the fact that they hadn't made it half-way through the day yet and had reached ¾'s of that number was exhausting in itself. Just trying to make sure everyone was checked in and checked out in a timely manner was excruciating enough, no doubt. However, the majority of clients that checked in had seemed to be in pissy moods of their own. And unlike Carol, who had enough integrity to remain professional and be courteous to people who had no control over the situation she was in, these people obviously did not.

She'd been cussed out for the three hour wait time. Apparently the woman thought her dog's yearly vaccines were more important than all of the emergency cases in front of her. She'd been told that she and the rest of Dr. Greene's staff were cold, callous people for not giving a patient hundreds of dollars-worth of treatment for free, despite the fact that Hershel already cut as many corners as he could for the man by using donated meds and charging half-price on a few procedures. Some college kid had literally cried and pitched a fit in front of the entire lobby when she told her that her pet had to have a rabies vaccine while being seen by the doctor per Georgia law. She'd tried to explain to the young girl that Dr. Greene could lose his license if he bent the rules for her, but the girl wasn't listening. She'd gone on about not believing in vaccines and them being a part of some government scam to control us all like robots.

If that hadn't been bad enough, when Daryl got to work things had gotten worse. He'd continued ignoring her and did his best to avert her gaze all day. They may have worked in different departments, but reception and treatment did have a decent amount of interaction at work. Whether she had to relay a client's phone call to him or someone else in the back or whether a tech had to come up front and give one of them the okay to check someone out, she usually ended up working around him a good bit each day. Today, he'd done every damn thing he could to make sure he hadn't had to deal with her directly. If anyone needed to be checked out, he sent them to Annette or Tara. Not once had he sent a client to her to get checked out. And if Michonne and Maggie hadn't actually been sending people to her, she'd have thought she'd screwed something up and Hershel had told him not to let her check anyone out anymore.

Then whenever she would go in the back to let him know a client left a message for him, he wouldn't look up from whatever he was doing. Instead he'd just nod and mumble something about leaving the message by the computer for him. Normally, he'd greet her with a sideways grin and make some stupid joke or ask her about her day.

She just couldn't understand it. She couldn't figure out what she did wrong. Sure, she'd been a little worried things would be weird between after that first night they were together. But then morning had come and they'd had a great day together Saturday and an even better day Sunday. Everything was fine, perfectly fine…up until Rick came home and caught him with his arms wrapped around her and flipped out a bit. He'd been weird ever since then. Going to sleep at 9 was definitely unusual for him, and she'd picked up that something was wrong then, but ignoring her completely the next day was a whole different story.

Was he regretting what happened between them? Did he wish he could take it back? Did he feel guilty because they'd essentially lied to Rick? Was he mad at her? Was he only ever nice to her in the first place because he'd wanted to sleep with her? That could very well be true. Rick had warned her he was shitty when it came to girls. He'd told her not to get attached to him because she'd get hurt. She assumed there could be a possibility Daryl had never really considered her to be a friend in the first place. That he was just playing his cards right to get what he wanted and now that he'd gotten it numerous times, there was just no need to try and even play nice anymore. Did he really use her like that? Was she just another number to him?

And that thought hurt. It hurt a lot more than it should. Because in the short time she'd known him, she'd come to care about him. She shared things with him, things people she'd known for years hadn't ever known. She felt like she could trust him, to an extent. And that was saying something, because she didn't trust people that easily. She didn't normally go off and tell random people her life story.

And though she knew that what happened in no way meant they were ever going to be romantically involved, she'd at least thought he cared about her as a person. That he considered her a friend and was somebody who she could count on to be there for her. He was someone she thought she could talk to about things and lean on when she'd had a bad day. She had no idea once Rick got home things would get so messy. She had no idea he'd barely be able to look at her after. If she'd have known that she wouldn't have ever let it happen in the first place.

()()()

Daryl felt like a dick. Like the biggest fucking dick on the planet. Carol had looked so hurt this morning when he'd dropped her off at work. She'd picked up on how tense he was around her. When she'd wrapped her arms around him after getting on the bike and he'd tensed up he could feel her fingers flinch. He couldn't see her face, but he was sure it was one of hurt and rejection. The same look she'd had this morning after she'd asked him what was wrong and he'd mumbled nothing while looking at the ground, refusing to meet her eyes.

And that look fucking broke his heart. It really did. He knew he was hurting her. He knew he was causing her pain. And he didn't want to do that. He really didn't. He just didn't know what else to do. He'd thought about it a lot last night. He really had. Hell, he'd barely slept a damn wink from thinking about her and their situation and how much he fucking liked her.

He ran different scenarios through his head. About being honest with her and telling her he liked her. About her telling him she didn't feel the same way. About her laughing in his face. About telling Rick how he felt about her and him giving him the green light. About telling Rick and him laughing at him. About Rick freaking the fuck out about it. About him and her giving this a real shot and it not working. About her cheating on him or him cheating on her.

Whatever scenario he thought about, even if it had a good beginning, it always came to a shitty end no matter what. He just couldn't see it working. Not in the long run. Sure, maybe things would work out for a while. Maybe he was lucky for once in his life and she liked him, too. But he was also sure that wouldn't last. Nothing ever did. Not his parent's marriage. Not Rick and Lori, not Carol and her ex. And you know what those relationships all had in common? Every fucking body cheated. It all boiled down to sex in the end. He truly did somewhat believe people were almost pre-destined to infidelity.

Animals were created to spread their seed and produce off spring. Humans were technically animals, and despite years of conditioning, were we really that different when it came down to it? He fucking knew he liked to get around. He really did. He liked sleeping with different girls. Each time was new and exciting and each girl liked to try different things. It was fucking great. He'd always thought that sleeping with the same girl more than once would be boring.

But with Carol, it hadn't been. Shit, it only got better each time. They'd try a new position or she'd seemed to pick up on how he responded to something and she'd go with it and it would be even better than before. And he honestly couldn't get enough of her. If Rick wouldn't have come home, if he hadn't of realized what he felt for her, he'd have ended up in bed with her again last night. That was for sure.

But as good as it was, as much as he was into it now, he also worried the day would come when it got old. When he missed his freedom. When who he was before her came back to the surface. That he'd want to go out and get his "fix." Hell, he'd seen Merle try to actually date a few women back in the day. One he really thought his brother actually did like. But Merle always ended up screwing it up. He always ended up in bed with some other bitch.

And he didn't want to do that to her. He didn't want to break her heart. And he damn sure didn't want his heart broken. He didn't want to completely give himself to her. To give her the power to destroy him. To have the power to destroy her. It was just too much. And this was all happening so fast. Not that he really thought he was good enough for her anyway.

So he decided last night that he had to put some distance between them. That if he didn't talk to her. If he didn't hang out with her, if he didn't look at those beautiful, big blue eyes of hers, that he could get over these...feelings…and get back to normal. That in a few days, maybe a week, he wouldn't like her anymore. The feelings had come on that fast. He was hopeful they'd go away that fast, too.

He wasn't fool enough to think he wasn't hurting her with how he was acting. He'd known when he decided to go this route that it would. He'd seen it in her face all day today. He'd heard it in her voice. And it had almost been enough to make him stop ignoring her. Stop trying to push her way. He'd had to fight himself not to grab her and hug her and tell her he was sorry. He really had. But he kept reminding himself that it was for the best. That though this may hurt them both now, that it would hurt a hell of a lot fucking more in the long run.

His resolve to keep the walls up were almost crumbling after the hellish day he'd known they both had at work. Hell, he wanted nothing more than to curl up in his bed with her and talk about how stressful the day was. He wanted to hold her in his arms until they both fell asleep. He wanted to talk to her about what happened between her and Rick and make sure she was okay.

He'd picked up on the tension at the breakfast table earlier that morning. Then when they got home this evening and Carol and Rick still wouldn't look at one another and she'd stormed off to her room he'd just wanted to go after he and make sure she was okay. But he didn't. Instead, he'd chewed his thumb for a moment before going and getting a shower. As soon as he got dressed he grabbed his book bag and bolted. He had to get the hell out of that house. He had to make himself stay away from her.

()()()

Carol had been so mentally and physically exhausted by the time she'd gotten home that she'd gone straight to her room. Her brother shot daggers at her when she walked through the front door and she didn't have the energy to have it out with him again that night. Then there was the fact that the ride home with Daryl had once again been extremely awkward. She'd resolved not to touch him at all on the way home and take her chances with falling off the bike and meeting her demise, but he'd refused to take off until she held on. His voice was low and grudging as he said it and she could tell he didn't really want her holding on to him anymore than she wanted to at this point, but he must not have wanted to feel responsible for her death.

She couldn't deal with the day anymore. She hadn't even bothered to change and get a shower or eat. She'd collapsed on her bed and fallen asleep almost as soon as her head hit that pillow. She was miserable. Completely fucking miserable. She hadn't been this upset since finding out that Ed cheated on her. Except this time, she didn't have anyone to run to. She didn't have anyone to talk to about it all. She couldn't remember the last time she felt so alone.

()()()

She felt a little better when she woke up the next morning. Sure, she was still sad and stressed out, but at least she was rested instead of being sleep deprived on top of everything else. However, things in the Grimes/Dixon house were still tense. Rick hadn't bothered to speak to her that morning either, and she was bound and determined she wasn't going to make the first move to smooth things over with her brother. Carol had a heart of gold and would do anything for the people she loved, but when you pissed her off she could hold a grudge like hell. And she wasn't going to apologize for what she said. She meant what she said and Rick needed to hear it, whether he'd ever admit or not.

After her run she'd just poured herself some cereal, not bothering to cook something for just her. Daryl hadn't wanted to eat what she'd made for him yesterday, and today she damn sure wasn't going to bother offering him anything after how he'd treated her. She was hurt with him, no question about that, but she was also pissed at him, too. The more she thought about it, whatever had him acting so funny, whatever made him feel so weird around her, he should have just been a fucking man and said it to her face instead of acting like a damn child about it.

She had to make a choice that morning. She had to decide how she was going to get to work, because it was just too far to walk. She didn't wanna be late just to prove a point to asshole 1 and 2. It wasn't an easy choice to make. It really wasn't. It was a matter of deciding which of the two were the lesser of her two evils at this point.

Rick and Daryl were in the kitchen as she stepped out of the bathroom from putting the finishing touches on her make-up when she finally decided to break down and speak. She took a deep breath and cleared her throat, getting the attention of the two at the table. "Rick, you're going to drop me by work, right?"

Rick gave her a small nod, not saying anything back.

"Good. I'd hate to have bother Daryl again. I know he's clearly tired of me doing that." She replied, shooting her roommate a hard look and turning to walk off.

Daryl bit his bottom lip and quickly darted his eyes to the floor shamefully. He felt like her angry gaze was burning a hole through him.

Rick raised an eyebrow at his sister's comment, wondering what in the hell she was talking about. The two had seemed pretty fucking chummy to him ever since they met. He looked over at his friend who was avoiding his sister's gaze like she'd turn him to stone if he looked at her. He glanced back at his sister's retreating figure, trying to figure out what the hell was going on between those two.

()()()

Even though her home life was still somewhat in disarray and she'd endured a painfully silent ride to work in her brother's car, at least the work day seemed to be better than yesterday. They weren't nearly as slammed as they'd been the day before, and all the crazy clients had seemed to stay home so far. In fact, some really sweet clients had come in today and brought goodies for the whole clinic staff. Homemade brownies, complete with a touching card of thanks for helping save her puppy who'd been hit by a car yesterday. It was little things like that which made Carol love this job, even on stressful days. Maybe today would end up being a better day overall, she thought to herself as she re-read the card to herself.

"Hey, you." A cheerful voice said.

Carol looked up and saw Maggie's brother standing at the counter with several boxes of pizza in his hands. He was smiling at her and straining to look at her over all the boxes he was carrying. She returned his smile and offered him her own cheerful greeting. It felt nice to have someone not look like they'd rather spit on her than speak to her. "Hey. How are you?"

"I'm good. Old man wanted me to drop these off for everybody." He nodded at the pizzas in his hand. "He said you guys busted ass yesterday and he felt like y'all deserved it."

"That's really sweet." She replied, feeling touched Hershel did something like that for them. "Here, I'll take them and put them in the kitchen if you want." She reached out to grab the boxes from him.

"You got them?" He asked, as he carefully placed them in her hands.

She let out a laugh. "I'm not helpless, Shawn. I might not can pick up 100 lb. dogs, but I think I can handle a few pizzas."

He chuckled and nodded his head. "Alright, well, I got a few drinks in the car, too. I'll run get them."

She nodded and headed for the back so she could set the pizzas down on the kitchen table. It still wasn't twelve yet, which meant she wouldn't have to chance running into Daryl on the way, and for that she was grateful. When she finally made her way back to the front desk Shawn was standing there with a jug of sweet tea and a few bottles of soda.

He looked around the almost empty lobby and behind the desk, raising an eyebrow. "Where's my mom and Tara?"

"Tara just left to go get her license renewed, and your mom is in surgery talking to Dr. Greene."

Shawn snorted. "You know you're the only one who calls him Dr. Greene around here."

She tilted her head and crossed her arms over her chest. "What do you want me to call him? He's a doctor and his last name is Greene. I am not calling that man Hershel. Not at work. It's disrespectful."

Shawn shrugged. "I don't know. Dr. H., Dr. G., Santa Clause."

She choked back a laugh. "You did not just say that."

"Hey, he's my step-dad. I can call him that. He knows he could pass for him. Hell, when Beth was little we convinced her that was his second job and it's why he closes the clinic for a week at Christmas." He paused and scratched his head. "She might still believe it."

Carol rolled her eyes and smirked at the thought. It reminded her of how she used to tell Rick all sorts of outrageous things when they were kids and actually get him to believe them.

"Anyway, uh, I better go. I gotta get to class. Tell my old man I dropped the stuff by for him."

She gave him a small nod and grabbed the drinks. "I will. Thanks, Shawn."

He went to turn around and walk out, but then turned on his heels and stepped toward the counter, resting his elbows atop the counter. Carol was about to walk in the back when he called out to her. "Hey, um, what are you doing tomorrow night?"

She spun around to face him, almost dropping the drinks in her hand. Was he about to ask her out? "I'm pretty sure I'm working." She said, cooly.

He rolled his eyes, knowing she knew what he meant. "After that. Do you have plans after?."

She tugged at her bottom lip. She really didn't. She didn't have any responsibility and she didn't have anywhere else to be. Normally she'd have plans to hang out with Daryl or Rick after, but she was pretty sure neither of those were options now. "Nothing that I know of." She admitted, reluctantly.

"If you want, we could go grab a bite to eat. Maybe see a movie. My treat." He offered.

She grimaced. She didn't mean to, but she could feel her face scrunch up at the mention of it and she felt like a total bitch. Shawn was a nice guy. He was a cute guy. But Carol wasn't ready to date anyone. Not in the least. And then after everything that happened with Daryl this weekend, going out with another guy almost seemed wrong after all they'd done. "Listen, Shawn, you're a nice guy, but I just. I don't know. I just got out of a very serious relationship and I'm not sure I'm ready to date yet. I'm sorry." She offered him an apologetic smile and hoped he understood.

"I get it, I do." He paused, unwilling to give up so easily. "Listen, I'm not trying to get you to marry me or anything." He joked. "It's just dinner and a movie. No commitment. No expectations. I just, I think you're a cool chick and I'd like to get to know you better. That's all."

She grew silent, contemplating what to do. Shawn seemed nice and talking to him right now was one of the most pleasant conversations she'd had since Sunday. Having an innocent dinner would have to be better than sitting at home miserable and being ignored by Rick and Daryl. "Just dinner?"

He nodded and gave her a satisfied smile, knowing he'd won. "Yep. Just dinner."

 **(Yeah….that just happened. Don't, like, form angry mobs or anything.)**


	29. Chapter 29

Other than Daryl still being weird at work and knowing Rick was still going to be a douche when she got home, Carol's day Tuesday had been much better than Monday was. Work wasn't near as stressful and the pizza that Hershel had bought for everyone, and the brownies that nice client had stopped by, had everyone in a jovial mood. Just seeing everyone else smiling and in such a great mood was enough to make Carol herself be in a bit of a better one. It was nice to be around people who were smiling and laughing and didn't seem to have a million issues going on. Or maybe they did and they were just good at hiding them.

She knew that she was pretty damn good at building up walls herself if she didn't want people to see what was bothering her. Hell, she'd managed to make it through work yesterday without anyone realizing something was off with her. Of course, everyone else was on edge yesterday, so that may have also helped play a role in it. And today, though she was still very upset with her brother and Daryl, she felt like she'd done a good job of not letting it get to her professionally. Daryl may have been short with her and done his best to avoid her gaze, but she just did her job when she had to speak to him and tried her best to act like nothing was wrong.

The last thing she wanted was for Hershel or someone else to pick up on the tension between the two. She didn't want any drama at work. Daryl's position was a lot harder to replace than hers, and he obviously had a semi close relationship with the Greene family. If things didn't resolve and sides had to be picked, she was almost certain of which of the two would have to go.

As everyone was getting ready to clock out that evening Carol stepped back into treatment in search of Maggie. She'd planned to ask if she could take her home. She was going to tell her that she needed to pick some stuff up from the supermarket on the way home and that she wouldn't be able to take it back on Daryl's bike. Which was actually true, but she also just didn't wanna have to ride home with him either. She spotted her friend at the sink, washing her hands, and walked towards her.

"Are you busy after work?" Carol asked.

Maggie looked up and offered her a small smile. "Actually, I am. I have a test for my online class and it starts at 8. I need to get some studying in before I even get started on it. Why what's up?"

"I, uh, I just needed a ride to the supermarket. I have to pick some stuff up and I knew I wouldn't be able to carry it back on Daryl's bike. It's fine, though. I can just borrow my brother's car or something when I get home."

"I'm sorry." Maggie replied, offering her a sympathetic look. "I would if I could."

"Don't worry about." Carol smiled sweetly, placing a hand on Maggie's shoulder. "I know you would."

"I can take you." Michonne offered. "I've gotta go out that way and pick up a few groceries."

"You sure?" Carol asked, raising an eyebrow. She liked Michonne from what she knew of her, but she hadn't really spent much time with her yet. She knew Maggie better, so naturally she'd been the first person she felt comfortable enough asking to take her to run an errand.

Michonne shrugged. "I'm going that way anyway."

Carol nodded. "I appreciate it." As she turned to walk away she noticed Daryl leaned against counter, nervously chewing his thumb as he studied her. She involuntarily scowled at him and turned to walk away.

()()()

Carol had actually had a good time running to the supermarket with Michonne. The more she talked to the girl, the more she found she liked her. She wasn't like Maggie, she was more guarded with new people, but after the two had become comfortable on the ride over they'd flowed into good conversation. She'd found out that Michonne had run track and cross country back in high school as well.

She'd opted not to run in college, despite being offered a full scholarship. She wanted to work part time and devote the rest of her time to her studies. She was trying hard to maintain a perfect 4.0 and wished to apply to med school in the fall. She wanted to be a surgeon, which is one of the reasons she'd ended up as a tech. You could get a lot more practice on animals without a medical license than you could a person.

She also told her some more about her boyfriend from high school and how hurt she'd been when the relationship ended and how she never thought she'd be able to trust anyone again because people can change so fast. As the two of them sat in the burger place of the supermarket, grabbing a quick meal before they went home, Carol looked at Michonne curiously as she took a bite of her fry. "Do you think you would ever want that with someone again? Could you love someone again?" She wondered if after time Michonne had decided she was willing to give love another try. If she had ever met someone she could trust again. Because Carol felt sure she wouldn't ever get to that point.

Michonne took a sip of her drink and lulled the question over in her head. "You know, for a long time I didn't ever think I would. I didn't want to. But now…now I do think I could want that again. I think there could be someone I could trust."

Carol nodded, studying the other girl carefully. "You say that like you aren't going to go for it even though you want it."

Michonne shrugged and let out a small sigh. "It's not that. I just…the guy…I don't think he's in that place. You know? He's been hurt, too. And I'm just not sure he's over his ex. I'm not sure he'd want that with me if he wasn't. We're friends. Good friends. And I don't wanna…I don't wanna mess that up. He's too important to me."

Carol's mouth gaped a little as realization washed over her. Michonne had to be talking about Rick. The circumstances were too coincidental for it not to be her brother. If she wasn't so mad at the little shit she'd probably concoct some sort of plan to help hook these two up. She was pretty confident Rick liked her, too. Even if he didn't know it yet. The way his eyes lit up when he talked about the girl was too damn obvious. But she was mad at the little fucker, and why should she help him get a date anyway? He thought he had the right to put limits on who she could and couldn't sleep with. Granted she ignored those limits, but still.

()()()

Daryl walked in the front door of his house and tossed his book bag hard until it collided with the wall. The loud thud must have got Rick's attention, because he walked out of the kitchen and shot his friend a funny look. "What?" Daryl snapped, once he noticed Rick enter the room.

Rick cocked an eyebrow, looking over at the disregarded book bag. "The hell's wrong with you?"

"Nothing." Daryl barked, storming off towards his room.

"Hey, where's my sister?" Rick called out, noticing Carol wasn't with his roommate.

"How the fuck should I know?" He bit back.

"Because you work with her and she normally rides home with you." Rick pointed out, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Well she didn't today." He snarled, turning on the balls of his feet to face his roommate.

"Where is she?" Rick's voice was growing concerned by Daryl's aggressive mood and not knowing where his sister was. Sure, they were mad at each other, but that didn't mean he didn't love her or worry about her.

Daryl sucked in a deep breath, growing even more annoyed by Rick's constant questions. He wasn't in the mood for all of this in the least. "I don't know. I ain't her fucking keeper. What do you want from me, man? Huh? One minute you tell me to stay the fuck away from her, the next you're asking me to be your errand boy and take her places because your ass is too busy to do it. Then you ask me to stay with her all fucking weekend and keep an eye on her and I do that shit and I get punched in the fucking eye for being a good guy and looking out for her and I keep her occupied and get her mind off her family bullshit and the moment your ass walks back through the damn door your yelling at me because I got my fucking arm around her. Acting like you walked up in this bitch and caught me with my dick in her. Now I'm supposed to know what the fuck she's doing at all times? Hell, if I did you'd probably get pissed about that shit, too. "He slung his arms in frustration. "And if your ass didn't go around saying hurtful shit to her all the time then maybe you'd know where she was at or what she was doing. You talk all this shit about how much you care about her and how you don't want my ass to hurt her. She's been here two fucking weeks and how many times have you hurt her feelings so far?"

Rick stood there in front of Daryl, too stunned by his outburst to speak.

"That's what I fucking thought." He shook his head and stormed past Rick, bolting for the front door. He slammed the door forcefully behind him and snatched his cigarettes out of his back pocket. Shakily brining one to his mouth and lighting it as he stomped down the street. Not really sure of where he was going, just knowing he had to get away for a while.

He'd lashed out at Rick. He'd completely blown up at the dude, and to be honest, Rick hadn't deserved it. Not from him anyway. He wasn't sure what had gone on with him and Carol this time. For all he knew, she could have been in the wrong. He doubted it, but she could have been.

Truthfully, he wasn't mad at Rick. Not really. He was mad at himself. And he had a bad habit of lashing out when he was pissed. He needed to yell. He needed to blow up on someone. He felt like the biggest asshole on the planet for how he'd decided to deal with his feelings and he knew he'd really hurt her. And he hated himself for it. He really did. And he hated not talking to her. It fucking hurt like hell.

He'd been excited at work earlier because the dog that came in last Friday and hadn't eaten in days, well it finally ate today. He hand fed it some canned food and it ate. And he'd remembered how she'd reached down and scratched the dog's belly and told him she'd be just fine. And all he'd wanted to do was run to her and tell her she'd been right. To tell her how happy he was that the dog was doing better and tell her how excited the owner had been to know she'd eaten. But he couldn't do that, because he'd fucked his own self up. He'd fucked their friendship up. And now she was so pissed at him that she didn't even want to ride to and from work with him.

He thought it would be easier not talking to her. He thought it would make those feelings go away. That it would save them both the trouble. He imagined it being like ripping off a band-aid. It would hurt like hell at first, but then it would get better. Instead, it was like a giant, festering wound. One you had to look at and not be able to do a damn thing about, all the while knowing the son of a bitch was going to rot your damn arm off.

He missed her so fucking much. He just wanted to talk to her. To tell her he was sorry. To tell her he was the biggest fucking asshole in the world. To tell her that he liked her and it scared the hell out of him. He wanted to fix this. But he didn't know how. He wasn't sure she'd even forgive him if he tried. And he wasn't sure he deserved her forgiveness.

He hated how fucked up he was. He wondered if his life would have been different if he would have just been able to not be a fucking pussy and tell her he liked after he knew what he was feeling for her. He wondered if he would have been able to actually know what he was feeling to start with and to take her on a date before he ever even fucked her.

Hell, she deserved that. She really did. She deserved someone who realized how great she was from the moment they met her. Who took her on dates and could actually tell her how amazing she was. Someone who hadn't just fucked her in the exam room at the athletic complex. Someone who wasn't a giant fucking pussy and didn't run from their feelings and end up hurting her in the process.

()()()

Carol thanked Michonne for the ride and gathered her things out of the back of the car. She almost hadn't wanted to come home. When she glanced under the carport and saw both Rick and Daryl's rides were there she almost jumped back in the car. But she didn't. She didn't want Michonne asking questions. Though she wondered if Rick had already talked to her about their fight. If so, the girl had decided it as best to stay out of it, because it hadn't been brought up.

As she made her way in the house she noticed Rick on the couch with a beer flipping through channels. She quickly averted her gaze and went to put her things away.

"Where you been?" Rick called out softly, as she was walking away.

She stopped in her tracks, slightly surprised her brother was talking to her. "Got Michonne to give me a ride to pick some stuff up after work. Not that it's any of your damn business." She added harshly.

Rick rolled his eyes and downed the rest of the beer. "When you put that stuff up can we talk?" He kept his voice soft as he spoke to her, making sure not to jump to the defensive, despite the fact she was clearly ready to.

She sighed heavily, letting her shoulders slump. "Rick, I don't wanna fight."

"Good. Me either."

She nodded and went to set the bags down in her room. When she returned she took a seat on the couch, keeping a cushion between them. "What do you wanna talk about?" She muttered, crossing her arms over her chest.

He let out a low laugh. "Look, we're both hard headed as hell. We get that from dad."

She looked up at him and offered a half-hearted smile, knowing damn well it was true.

He smiled back and scooted closer to her. "I was a dick. Okay? I'll admit. I don't wanna admit it, but I will if it means you and me are speaking again."

Carol eyed him carefully, feeling her guarded stance relax slightly and letting her arms fall from where the rested on her chest. "Go on."

Rick rolled his eyes again. "What you said…about Lori….about Shane…about me needing to move on…it was true." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Listen, I still love her, Carol. I don't want to, but I do. And I wanna move on, I do. But it's not that easy for me. And when you said that about her, I just, I lost my cool. She was mine for so long, it's just…almost a reflex to defend her."

Carol nodded, knowing exactly what it meant about feeling the need to defend someone you love to your family. She'd done it a million times with Ed. To Rick. To her parents. To old friends. She'd been pretty hostile back then, too. Saying lots of things she didn't mean to the people she loved who told her he was bringing her down. Who told her she was throwing her life away for him. Throwing her life away on something that wouldn't last.

"And I didn't mean you were a heartless bitch…I didn't. "He let his head fall back on the couch and looked up at the ceiling. "If I'm being honest with you, I wish I was more like you. I wish I could stop caring. I wish I had that switch to turn off what I'm feeling. It'd sure as hell make things easier."

She cocked her head and turned where she could face him. "You really think I don't care don't you? That I just moved back and anything I felt for Ed magically disappeared? That I just stopped loving him the moment I found out he cheated one me?"

Rick leaned up slowly, meeting her eyes. "You acted like you didn't. I mean you never talked about him. I never heard you cry. You just came down here and grabbed life by the balls. You started cleaning the house, making it your own, you wanted to look for a job, you were hanging out with Daryl, making new friends. It didn't seem like you were that upset about Ed. It seemed like you had no problem coming here. Making a new start. I could barely get off the couch right after Lori left me. I can't imagine having to start a new life on top of it and being able to do what you've done."

She bit her lower lip and shook her head. "I did that because I had too, Rick. Because life doesn't stop, not even when bad things happen. I could have sat in this house. I could have moped. I could have locked myself in my room, but it wouldn't change what happened. It wouldn't take Ed cheating away, and it damn sure wouldn't have made me feel better. I wasted four years with the wrong person, I gave up so much for him, I'm damn sure not giving anything else up for him. It doesn't mean it didn't still hurt. That I don't feel betrayed, or insecure, or like I won't ever be able to trust another man as long as I live. It doesn't mean that I didn't still love him." She paused when she felt her voice become quivery and she could feel tears forming in the corner of her eyes. She didn't wanna cry damn it.

Rick's face fell at his sister's confession. He had no idea she'd felt that way this whole time. "Why didn't you tell me?"

She shrugged and wiped her eye. "You didn't ask."

His brow creased and he reached over and pulled her into him, letting her head fall on his chest as he wrapped an arm around her. "If I'd have thought for a second that you weren't okay I would have. I'm not a mind reader, Carol. I swear, I thought you were okay. You seemed happy."

She wrapped her arms around his waist and shifted her head further up near his shoulder. "I didn't wanna bother you. I knew you were going through a lot of your own shit."

"You can always talk to me. Even if I'm too stupid to realize what's going on, you can always come to me if you need to talk. I hate you had to deal with this all on your own."

She wiped another tear that was threatening to fall down her cheek. "I wasn't dealing with it alone. Not all of it. I talked to Daryl a little bit. He helped me a lot." And that admission was almost enough to have her in full on tears thinking back to everything that transpired between them.

Rick shifted in his seat, feeling a little wounded she'd gone to someone she barely knew for comfort before coming to him, but also feeling relieved she'd at least had someone to talk to. "You two have gotten pretty close, huh?" He thought aloud, thinking back to how much time they'd spent together and how he'd found them all snuggled up upon returning home this weekend.

"We were." She mumbled into his chest, moving her face against his shirt to wipe some tears away.

"Did something happen between you two?" Rick asked, quirking an eyebrow as he thought back to Daryl's explosive mood earlier and to how tense things were at breakfast two days.

"If you ask me if we fooled around one more time I'm going to kill you." She huffed.

"I didn't mean something like that. You both said nothing happened and I believe you. You're the two closest people I have around me. I know you both wouldn't lie to me."

Carol felt a twinge of guilt prick her gut at her brother's words. But she damn sure wasn't in the mood for a confession. Not when the two of them were just getting back on track.

"I just noticed you two seem a little mad at each other. You didn't speak to each other at breakfast and you both normally act like you like each other better than you like me." He snorted. "Then Daryl came home pissed off and throwing shit like a damn two year old and he blew up at me. Next thing I know he storms out of the house and I haven't seen him since."

Carol pushed herself up from Rick's chest to meet his eyes. "What exactly happened this afternoon?"

Rick recounted the story to her and when he was done she moved her head back on her brother's chest, nuzzling her head deep into the crook of his neck and gripping her arms around him tightly. "Do you have any idea what's going with the two of you?" He asked once he was done talking.

She just shook her head and fought back the urge to cry again. "No, I don't. We were fine until you got home. I had one of the best weekends I've ever had with him."

()()()

Daryl didn't come home until almost midnight. He'd walked around the block a few times just trying to blow off some steam. Then he'd gone to the pool hall and shot a few games by himself. He ran into a girl from one of his classes named Rosita. She'd wanted to fucking chit-chat and it was honestly the last damn thing he'd wanted to do with anybody at that moment, but she was a little older than him and she'd offered to go up and get them some beers if he'd shoot pool with her. He felt like he needed a beer to take the edge off and get his mind clear, he'd agreed.

He was sure he hadn't been good company, and he couldn't tell you a damn thing she'd talked about the entire time. He was too wrapped up in his own thoughts. She'd asked him something and he'd absently mindedly mumbled yeah, not knowing what she was talking about. He'd sipped his beer and gone for his next shot when he felt her walk up behind him and a finger across the back of his neck as she asked him her place or his?

He about jumped out of his fucking skin when he felt her touching him like that. He knew what the fuck she meant by that statement and if he didn't he, damn sure would have by the way she was caressing his damn neck. How the fuck had he just agreed to go home with this girl without even knowing it? Why had she even asked after the majority of his end of the conversation was grunts and mumbles?

Two weeks ago he'd have jumped at the chance to get with this girl. She was hot. He wouldn't deny that. And he knew someone who used to date her and he'd heard about the things she could do. For a split second, he let himself think about going home with her. He let himself wonder if he slept with her if maybe that would help him feel better. If it would help take his mind off the girl that would be waiting at his house when he got back.

But that thought didn't linger long, because the feel of her fingertips on his skin was unsettling. Being touched by someone who wasn't Carol was unsettling. It didn't feel right. Thinking about that girl pressed against him naked didn't feel right. In that moment he didn't see how people could cheat. How they could bring themselves to do that to someone they loved. To someone that loved them. He couldn't do it, and he wasn't even sure she'd care if he did.

He let himself think about how he'd feel if she was at a bar right now. If she was out hanging out with some dude and he tried to get with her. If this dude was touching her. And the thought made his skin crawl. It made his blood boil. It made him sick to his stomach. And he knew right then that he had to get the fuck home and he had to talk to her. Because he was pretty sure he'd lose his fucking if he didn't.

He'd muttered something about having to go and complete blew the girl off without a real expectation. He sprinted home, hoping that she was still awake. As he quietly made his way inside towards their hallway he notice her door was shut but her room light was on. He gave a few soft taps on the door and swallowed hard, not sure what he was going to say or do.

"Come in." He heard her voice call out softly from the other end. God how he'd missed hearing her voice sound that way. Not angry or hurt, just soft and sweet.

He opened the door slowly and almost panicked and ran away when he saw how angry she looked when she realized it was him. But he didn't. He forced himself to stay right there. "Can we talk?" He asked, his voice tender and hopeful.

 **(I'm exhausted and have to be up in a few hours. I'll update as soon as I can. I promise. And damn, this was long. This story could probably go on forever if I gave as much detail as I really wanted to. Trust me, this is with me cutting a lot of things out. I just feel like all these details are really important in the long run of where everyone needs to go.)**


	30. Chapter 30

Carol stared at him blankly. A part of her was curious to know what he wanted to talk to her about, another part of her was so hurt and angry with him for how he'd acted the last two days she just wanted to tell him to get the hell out of her room. He was leaning against her doorframe, with his hands awkwardly shoved in his pockets, and his face shown with a look she hadn't seen before. One that seemed almost shameful and full or regret. "What do you want, Daryl?" She sighed, keeping a slight harshness to her voice.

He shifted back and forth on the balls of his feet, forcing himself to look her in the eye, though he didn't want to. "I need to talk to you." He replied, softly.

She pulled her knees to her chest and narrowed her eyes on him. "Now you wanna talk to me?" She barked. "Why? Huh? Why now? You seemed to be doing pretty fucking great the past two days while you were ignoring me."

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm an asshole. Okay? I know I am. And I get that you're pissed at me. That you don't wanna talk to me. I ain't saying I deserve for you to listen to what I gotta say. Hell, I know I don't. But I'm hoping like hell you will."

She shook her head angrily and brought her voice down a few notches, gritting her teeth as she spoke. "What? You think if you're nice to me again. If you apologize to me that I'll sleep with you again? Is that it? You're horny and you want a piece of the best you ever had?" She made sure she used her fingers to do quotation marks as she said that then rolled her eyes at him.

Daryl instinctively looked behind him to make sure Rick wasn't around and hadn't heard what his sister had just said. He was nowhere to be found and when Daryl turned back around to look at Carol he hung his head. "I know I was a dick and I deserve that, but that ain't what this is. This ain't about sex. Okay? And I didn't lie to you either. You are the best I ever had." He mumbled quietly. "I ain't gonna leave until you talk to me. I'll stand here all damn night if that's what it takes."

She cocked her head and pursed her lips. "Five minutes." She muttered. He was being persistent, and she did actually want to know what kind of lame ass excuse he had for being a world class jackass.

He nodded and kicked his left foot back and forth. "Can we go on a walk?" He suggested. He had a feeling she might end up getting even angrier at him and he didn't want to chance that Rick would overhear. He could see she was about to protest, but quickly interrupted before she could. "You're already mad as hell at me. Whenever you decided to start yelling do you really want your brother to hear what you're yelling about?"

She exhaled deeply and moved to get out of her bed and follow him outside.

()()()

The two made their way out of the house and began walking down the street, side by side. Neither one of them saying anything. Carol had her arms pulled up around her chest and Daryl was walking with his hands in his pockets, his eyes trained on the ground. He'd occasionally steal an awkward glance up at her when he thought she wasn't looking, but she'd caught him looking twice already. By the time they reached the end of their street she caught him looking a third time. "I thought you wanted to talk?" She snapped.

He nodded and turned the corner continuing to walk. "I do."

She glanced at her phone and noticed several minutes had already passed. "Well your time's about up and you've wasted most of it. Just say what've gotta say and let me get back in my bed. It's not like it matters anyway."

"I ain't good with this." He mumbled then let out a nervous laugh. "Hell, that's a big part of why I been such an asshole."

She raised an eyebrow, wishing she could see the expression on his face from what he'd just said, but he was still walking and his eyes were still on the ground. She picked up her pace and followed him as he cut a left down a dirt driveway. The moon was bright and their wasn't a cloud in the sky and she could see an old block building that was grown up and even appeared to have vines coming out of the windows.

Being around an abandoned building at night in a semi wooded area probably should have creeped her out, but it didn't. Despite the fact that Daryl had emotionally hurt her, she didn't think he'd let anything happen to her physically. Not after she'd seen him jump into action so quickly that night he'd gotten punched in the eye. And the man had cat like reflexes. It was pretty fucking insane. "Did you bring me out here to kill me so you don't even have to go to the trouble of ignoring me anymore?"

He stopped momentarily, noticing that her voice didn't seem as angry as it had before. She was being sarcastic and when he turned around she had a hint of a smirk playing at her lips. He snorted at her and motioned his head forwards "Come on."

She followed him a few more feet and they came upon a large fenced area. It looked like an old softball or baseball field. "What is this place?" She asked, as she watched him walk inside the fenced area and take a seat on the ground.

"It's an old rec center. There was a pool by that building we walked by and this was the softball field."

She walked up beside him and took a seat. She watched as he fell back and placed his hands behind his head, looking up at star filled sky. She mirrored his actions, looking over at him carefully and trying to figure out what the hell he'd wanted to come out here for. "I thought you wanted to talk to me. I didn't come with you to lay down and look up at the stars. I'm pissed at you. You really hurt my feelings."

He turned his head to look over at her and sucked in a deep breath. He still wasn't really sure what to say or how to say it. Telling her why he acted how he did and how he felt seemed a lot easier as he left that pool hall than it did now that she was actually in front of him. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I really didn't." He confessed, quietly. I'm really sorry, Carol."

"How could you not think that completely ignoring me after everything we did this weekend wouldn't hurt me?" She barked. "You just got what you wanted as many times as you could and you decided I wasn't worth talking to anymore since my brother was back home and you figured it wouldn't happen again."

Fuck. She thought he used her. She thought he didn't give a damn about her at all. That all she was to him was a piece of ass. She had no clue that he was completely fucking gone for her. And what he'd done had make it sound exactly like that. And why shouldn't she think that's what he'd done? She knew that's what he'd done with all the other girls. "You ain't just another piece to me. I know it seems like that, but that ain't why I been acting like a dick." He paused, trying to gather the nerve to tell her he how he felt and hoping that she somehow maybe felt something for him, too. Even though he knew he didn't deserve it at this point. "I had one of the best fucking weekends of my life with you. I really did and I didn't want it to end."

She pulled at her bottom lip and shook her head interrupting what he had to say." If you had such a good weekend with me then why did you act like you didn't even wanna look at me Monday? Why did you cringe when I put my arms around you on the bike? Why have you barely been able to look at me the last two days? Look, I didn't expect anything from you after slept together. I really didn't. It was supposed to be a one-time thing and then it just…kept happening. And I know a few of those times were on me. I pursued it because it was good. It was damn good. And it made me feel good that you wanted me so bad. But I knew when Rick got home that it would be over and I knew we weren't going to jump into a relationship or any dumb shit like that. And I don't want that. Okay? I already told you, after Ed I don't even know if I'd ever want that again and I know you aren't the kinda guy who'd ever want that. I just, I just…I thought we'd still be friends after. I thought we were friends."

He cringed at her words. She'd already given him an answer without him having to really tell her. Of course she didn't want that. Of course she wasn't ready for anything like that. She'd barely been single two weeks. And of course she didn't think he was relationship material. She'd confirmed what he already knew and it hurt like hell to hear it. It felt like a hot knife was twisting in his stomach. He forced himself to keep his voice composed. He'd brought her out here to apologize and he still owed her an explanation. He still had to tell her so they could hopefully remain civil while they lived and worked together. And if he couldn't have her the way he wanted, he did want her in his life. "We were friends…we still are…if you wanna be. I fucking miss talking to you. I miss hanging out with you. It ain't what I wanted…I just…I thought it was the easiest way." He looked away from her, knowing he wouldn't be able to look her in the eyes and see the look of pity as he confessed the next part and knowing she didn't feel the same. "When we were watching that movie Sunday and you laid your head on my chest and I wrapped my arms around you…and then…"

Carol's eyes grew wide as he spoke, re-calling the conversation she had with her brother earlier about how Daryl had blown up at him. Then she thought about how he'd gone to bed early that night and hadn't wanted to stay up with the two of them. She'd seen in his eyes that something wasn't right that night. She'd heard it in his voice. He'd acted funny ever since Rick came home and started yelling at them because of the position they were in when he walked in. "Rick walked in and saw us." She finished for him. "You had your arm around me and he thought something happened then we both lied to him." She motioned between the two of them. "Is this because you feel guilty? Is it because you broke a promise to Rick and you feel bad about it?"

He felt very conflicted as he listened to her piece together what she thought was why he'd been such a jerk. He should interrupt her. He should tell her the truth. But what good would it do? Then he'd have to hear her say she didn't want him. He'd have to see a look of pity in her eyes as she said it. Or worse, she might just fucking laugh at him. And he wouldn't be lying if he said he didn't feel a little guilty for breaking a promise to Rick. He really did, but the majority of the guilt was over ridden by the amazing sex and how much he fucking liked her. He decided that this might be the best route to go and nodded along. "Yeah. That's it. I uh…I just thought it'd be best if I stayed away from you. I don't want no trouble for you and your brother. I don't want Rick to hate me." He mumbled, hoping he sounded half convincing. "I know it wasn't the right way to go about it. I know I fucked up and I hurt you."

"Daryl." She began, but was interrupted by him.

He took a deep breath, bringing his hands out from behind his head and sweeping them over his face. "I ain't no good at this. Okay? I ain't good with women period…well, other than in the sac" He laughed nervously." And I ain't even used to spending time alone with one. I ain't used to seeing them the day after, and I damn sure ain't used to living with one I fucked that I wasn't supposed to touch her in the first damn place. I freaked out and I just…I did what I thought was easiest. I did what I thought was best for everyone." Well that was the fucking truth, he thought to himself. "But I don't like not talking to you. I don't wanna not talk to you. I just want things to go back to how they were before."

She looked over at him, her face was conflicted and her voice was low. "I'm not sure they can." She wanted them to, she really did. But the fact that she slept with him had completely changed the dynamics between them. She didn't want to admit it, but it had. Then the fact that she'd let herself somewhat trust him and then he just dropped her like yesterday's news had changed things, too. That level of comfortability she'd felt with him had been broken by that. Even if he had his reasons and she somewhat did understand them, she still thought he should have come to her and told her why he wanted to put distance between them. She wouldn't have been happy about it, but she would have understood.

"Can we start over then?" He asked, hopefully. "If I promise not to be an asshole again. If I promise I won't ever do anything to hurt you again?"

He seemed so sincere. He really did. And those beautiful blue eyes of his, eyes she could get lost in if she let herself, despite how mad she was, they were begging for her forgiveness. For understanding. For redemption. And she'd missed him. She really had. She'd missed talking to him. She'd missed being around him. Being next to him. She had to live with him. She had to work with him. She knew they had to work this out. "We can try." She said, offering him a weak smile.

He smiled back, and it was the first time he'd smiled in days. Because being her friend was a hell of a lot better than nothing. "Come here." He said, pulling her close to him so she could rest her head on his chest and then wrapped his arm around her.

()()()

The next morning Carol woke up in a great mood. It was the best mood she had been in, in days. But life was good again and she was happy. She and Rick made up and had a good talk, and then she and Daryl had done the same. She hadn't wanted to go with him last night, but she had and she was glad she'd done it. They'd stayed in that old softball field a long time after he'd apologized. Just talking about their own experiences the last two days.

When he'd pulled her close to him she'd been a little uncomfortable at first. She was still a little mad at him, despite his apology, and the fact she understood, she'd still felt a little hurt. But she'd rested her head on him anyway, because, well because he was fucking comfortable and he smelled really good. And the more they talked the little bit of anger she had for him seemed to melt away. He was so easy for her to talk to, and he kept saying things to make her smile and laugh and it felt good to laugh again after the last two days. If felt really good.

So, this morning when she'd woken up she'd gone on a run and then gotten a quick shower, and when she'd gotten out she'd cooked a huge breakfast for the two men in her life. Even going as far as cooking her brother's favorite. Blueberry pancakes. She was fixing the plates when she heard someone walking in the kitchen. She turned around and found her brother in his pajama's, rubbing his eyes.

"I must be dreaming." He laughed, because it smells like Heaven in here.

She smiled and handed him a plate. "It's gonna taste better than it smells."

Rick sat down at the table and tore into the pancakes first, savoring every bite. "Mmm. You aren't lying. This is great." He poured more syrup over them and took a few more bites. "What's the special occasion?"

She shrugged and sat down with her own plate. "I guess it's my, I'm sorry I snapped at you in my sleep deprived state and didn't say things more delicately to you and then didn't talk to you for days, but I still love my little brother and I'm glad we're talking again celebration."

Rick snorted and sipped his drink. "Well, it's really good, thanks. I'm glad we're talking again, too. How about we never fight again?"

Carol nodded in agreement and sipped her own drink. "Sounds like a plan."

"I give it about two weeks before we're at each other's throats again." Rick said.

Carol smirked at that comment. "I give it one. I'll go ahead and start baking I'm sorry cookies."

"Something smells good as hell." Daryl mumbled, walking into the kitchen and stretching. As he did the bottom of his shirt rode up and a good view of his lower abdomen was on display.

Carol was about to take another bite of food, but paused when she noticed, enjoying the view. Rick must have noticed what she was looking at, because the next thing she knew he was nudging her in the shoulder and giving her a stern look. She rolled her eyes and shoved the food in her mouth then looked to Daryl. "I made breakfast. There's a plate for you in the microwave. Extra cheese in your grits."

"Thanks." He smiled and grabbed his plate, taking a seat at the table with them.

Rick was sitting on either side of the two and couldn't help but notice the way they were trading smiles with one another, stealing glances across the table. Whatever was going on between them had obviously been resolved sometime during the night when he was asleep. And whatever mood Daryl had been in yesterday had been wiped away and replaced. But he felt a little uneasy, because he still had no clue what was going on and he wasn't sure he wanted to know.

"Hey, Rick." Daryl called out, looking over at his friend. "I'm sorry about blowing up on you yesterday. I was just in a shitty mood. I didn't mean to, man."

Rick nodded and continue eating. "It's all good. No worries."

()()()

The next day at work was going well for Carol. It was nearing the end of the day and she and Daryl were still getting along just fine. He'd come to her like he would have before if he had a client that needed to be checked out and if she had a message for him he'd ask her about her day as she took it to him or crack some stupid joke.

She felt good about her life again. Home life was good. She and Maggie were becoming good friends and she was starting to think maybe she and Michonne would, too. She had her dinner with Shawn tonight, and though she wasn't looking as forward to it as she would have been if she was still upset with Daryl and Rick, she still liked the idea of having another friend and getting to know him better. She was walking into treatment to give Maggie a message that afternoon when she heard Michonne call out to her.

"Carol, they're having dollar mimosas at the Buff again tonight. Tara, her girlfriend, and I are going. You wanna come."

She was about to tell her that she'd loved to, but she'd already made plans to have dinner with a friend when Maggie answered for her.

"Carol can't go. She's got a date with my brother tonight." Maggie smirked.

Daryl had been at the exam table pulling up an injection for a cat when he'd heard the words leave Maggie's mouth. He felt his heart sink at the words and jealously surged through his entire body. He dropped the bottle of praziquantal he had in his hands and it shattered when it hit the floor, causing everyone to look over at him.


	31. Chapter 31

**Thanks for reading and reviewing.**

Maggie looked down at the bottle that Daryl just dropped and her mouth gaped. "Daddy's gonna kill you." She squealed. "We just opened that bottle yesterday and that stuff costs him like 300 bucks."

"I don't wanna be around Hershel when you tell him you dropped that." Michonne laughed, shaking her head. "That's the last bottle we had back here in treatment."

Daryl scowled at the two women and bent down to start picking up the shattered glass that was lining the floor. At the moment he found himself a lot less worried about Hershel's reaction about the lost profit and a hell of a lot more worried about the fact that Carol was going on a date with Maggie's brother later today. He could deal with Hershel getting pissed off at him. He could deal with the bottle coming out of his paycheck. What he wasn't sure he could deal with is seeing Carol with Maggie's brother together. Hadn't she just told him last night she wasn't ready to start dating? Hadn't she said she wasn't looking for that? But she'd had to have known at the point that she'd be going out with Shawn. So did she really just mean that she wasn't looking for that with him?

"Here." Carol said softly, bending down next to him with a roll of paper towels so he could wipe up the spilled liquid.

He looked over at her briefly and grabbed the paper towels, then returned his attention to the mess on the floor. "Thanks." He mumbled, gruffly.

"Are you alright?" She asked, noticing how unlike him it was to drop the bottle in the first place and detecting the harshness in his voice. He was normally very confident and take charge at work. He took his job very seriously and he was always on top of things. To see him make a blunder and let a bottle slip right out of his hands was a little concerning.

"I'm fine." He reached down to pick up another piece of glass. In the process he must have grabbed it wrong, because the next thing he knew he felt a sharp pain on his finger tip and he was re-coiling. "Son of a bitch." He growled, bringing his hands back to him and watching the blood pour out.

"Oh, God! You cut yourself. Here let me see it." She reached out to grab his hand and pull it in for a closer look, but he pulled away from her.

"I got it." He grumbled as he stood up and grabbed the bottle of betadine, dousing his cut with it and then he grabbed some vet wrap and rolled it around his finger to stop the bleeding. He looked down at her, she was still crouched down on the floor and she was giving him a wounded look. He sighed and let his head fall. "You better get back up front. You know how people start piling in late in the day. Annette and Tara probably need your help."

She didn't answer him. She just nodded and stood up, brushing her hands over her knees and turning to walk off. She paused as she reached the door that would take her from treatment to reception and turned one last time to face him. "Are you sure everything is okay?" She could tell he was obviously upset by something and they'd just gotten back on track. She didn't want them to go back to not talking.

"Just Peachy." He forced out, as he turned his attention back to his work.

()()()

When he finally had a free minute Daryl stomped up behind Maggie and grabbed her by the shoulder. "I need to talk to you. Now." He barked.

Maggie turned around and cocked an eyebrow at him. "About what?" She could tell he clearly seemed agitated by something.

He spun his head around, noticing they were the only two in treatment at the time, but he knew anyone could walk in at any moment. "Let's go to your dad's office. This don't concern no one else."

Maggie nodded and followed Daryl to her dad's office. She'd walked in first and when she heard the door close and the click of the lock being turned she folded her arms over her chest and gave Daryl a stern look. "I'm flattered. But I love Glenn and it ain't happening."

He rolled his eyes at her and scowled deeply. "Don't be. You ain't my type."

"I know. I'm not trashy enough." She grinned. When he didn't return her grin she let her face grow serious. "What do you wanna talk about, Daryl?"

"Carol's going out with Shawn?" He snapped. "Shawn! How the fuck did that happen?" He was pacing circles in the room like he was a caged animal.

"I'm assuming he asked her. That's kinda how dating works, Daryl."

"No shit." He spat, pausing to run a hand through his hair. "But it's Shawn, Maggie. He's practically fucking worse than I am with women. Fuck, he leaves every show he has with a different girl."

Maggie studied the man carefully. She was almost sure she'd never seen him so upset the entire time she'd known him. "Are you're mad because you think he'll hit it before you get the chance to?" She challenged.

"I ain't worried about that." He snorted without thinking.

Maggie's arms dropped to her side and a knowing look filled her eyes. "You slept with her this weekend. While Rick was gone. You did. Didn't you."

"No." He shot out quickly.

"You did! Oh my God! You so did! It makes so much sense. You were right by her side Sunday and then you two were acting weird earlier in the week."

"You don't know what the hell you're talking about." He countered.

She clasped her hand over her mouth as another realization filled her mind. "You like her! Don't you? That's why you don't want her going out with Shawn. You have feelings for her and the thought of her with someone else drives you insane."

"I don't fucking like her." He hissed. "I don't have feelings for anyone. I ain't never had feelings for no one and I ain't ever going to."

She locked her eyes on his. "Then why don't you want her going out with my brother?"

He looked away from her scrutinizing gaze and moved his eyes to the floor. He shoved his hands in his scrub pockets and kicked his foot back and forth like a small child. "She's just still hurting from what her ex did to her. I just…I don't…think she's ready for all that…and I don't wanna see her getting hurt. That's all." He mumbled.

()()()

Carol couldn't help but notice how quiet Daryl had been on the ride home. He wasn't acting quite like he had been earlier in the week. At least he didn't flinch at her touch and he'd actually speak to her, even if he was giving her short answers. But still, something was definitely off with him and had been ever since he dropped that bottle at work earlier in the day and she didn't have the first clue as to what it was.

He'd gone to his room straight after work and she'd gone to get a shower and get ready for her dinner with Shawn. She felt uncomfortable earlier when Maggie had announced it as a date to everyone in treatment. She didn't see it that way. She'd thought she'd made it clear to him that the two of them going out tonight wasn't a big deal and that it wasn't going to lead anywhere. But maybe she hadn't been clear enough about that if Maggie was under the impression that she was going on a date with him.

As she looked in front of the mirror one last time she felt herself grow extremely uncomfortable. She hadn't been on a date with another man in four years. And she hadn't been on many before that. She'd secretly went on two or three dates with a guy in high school. But she quickly ended things after he kissed her. She was afraid her parents would find out, and they had been adamant about her not dating. Then there was one guy before Ed in New York. She met him right after classes started and he'd taken her to a Broadway play. She'd had a decent enough time, but he'd never called her again and she'd met Ed a few weeks later. The rest was history.

Even on that first date with Ed, she'd been nervous. She had worried about what to say or how to act and the night had been filled with several awkward silences. She let herself think back to the night she moved in and how she'd stayed up half the night talking to Daryl. About how they'd been out together several times and how comfortable and easy everything seemed with him. Even if they aren't talking, nothing feels awkward and she's never felt nervous around him. Even the first time they'd slept together, it felt right. Like they were so in sync with one another.

She sighed heavily. She wasn't sure how she felt about going out tonight anymore. It was fine when she thought this was just a friendly gathering, but the idea of calling it a date had her stomach tying in knots. She'd just spent the weekend with one guy, now a completely different one was taking her out to dinner and possibly a movie and nothing about that felt right to her. Especially when she realized she'd rather spend the evening at home with the guy she'd spent the weekend with now that they were talking again. And the fact that Daryl was upset about something didn't have her feeling any more comfortable about leaving.

She heard her phone buzz on the counter and went to pick it up. It was a text from Shawn letting her know he'd be there in about five minutes. She told him okay and then made her way out of the bathroom. She found herself walking towards Daryl's room, wanting to make sure things were good with them before she left. She tapped on the door lightly and when she heard him say come in she opened it.

He looked up from the notes he was studying when he heard the door creaking open. Behind it was Carol, looking stunning as ever. She had on a large pair of hoop earrings and a sleeveless black dress with the back cut out. And all he wanted to do was pull her on the bed and kiss her and rip that fucking dress off. Stupid fucking Shawn. With his stupid fucking guitar and his stupid fucking singing. He thought to himself. He'd like to break that stupid fucking guitar over his stupid fucking face.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Carol asked softly, breaking him from his thoughts. "You seemed a little weird at work earlier. Like something's bothering you."

"I'm fine." He muttered, not able to look away from her as he spoke.

She nodded and looked down, digging her heels into the carpet. "It just, it kinda seems like you're mad at me. And I don't want us not talking again. I don't want you ignoring me again. If I did something to upset you I just wish you'd tell me."

He swallowed hard, remembering his promise not to be an asshole to her again and not to hurt her. "Hey, you ain't done nothing wrong. I ain't mad at you." He replied, softly. And that was true. He wasn't mad at her. He was mad at himself. He was mad at Shawn. But he couldn't be mad at her. She didn't know how he felt. She didn't know it fucking killed him to think about her going out with some other guy. But then again, he was hurt because he felt like she saw him as someone who was unworthy to go on an actual date with her. But that still wasn't her fault. His own reputation had done that to him and he knew it.

"Then what is it?" She asked, her voice full of concern. "I know you, Daryl. I know when something isn't right.

He took a deep breath. He was going to be honest and tell her that the idea of her going out with Shawn was weird for him. He wasn't going to tell her he liked her, but he'd admit that after the weekend they shared that the idea of her with some other guy was a little unsettling. But he didn't get the chance to, because her stupid fucking phone started ringing before he could.

"Hold that thought." Carol said, bringing the phone up to her ear. "Give me a minute. I'll be right out." She ended the call and turned her attention back to Daryl. "I'm sorry. Shawn's here. I gotta go. We can talk when I get back if you want."

"Alright." He mumbled, sticking his nose back in his notes.

"Hey, Daryl?"

He looked back up at her to see what she wanted. "Tell Rick where I'm at when he gets home from work if you don't mind. I don't want him worrying."

"Will do." He nodded, and as she started to walk off he was the one calling out to her this time. "You look really beautiful. Just thought you should know that in case Shawn's too stupid to tell you."

She blushed and gave him a sideways grin. "I'll see you in a little bit."

()()()

When Rick got off work that night he was in a mood to get out of the house. He felt like he hadn't really done anything fun in a while and he realized his sister had been right about some things. He needed to keep himself busy and get his mind off Lori. Sitting around the house sulking wasn't doing him a damn bit of good. So he'd made up his mind that he was going to see if Daryl and Carol wanted to go shoot a few rounds of pool tonight and maybe grab a couple of drinks.

He hadn't hung out with Daryl as much as normal the last few weeks, and he hadn't spent as much quality time with his sister as he would have liked since she came to live with him. At least not much quality time that didn't end with them at each other's throats.

As he made his way in the front door that night he found that the living room was empty and the house was quiet. That was a little unusual to say the least. Normally he'd find Daryl and his sister watching some stupid TV show or Daryl on the video game while Carol was on the couch reading some book. He checked the back porch to see if they were out there, but there was no sign of them.

He then went to his sister's room, but the door was wide open and she was nowhere to be found. He saw Daryl's room door closed with the light on, and for a moment Rick let himself think the worst. He stormed towards the door, not bothering to knock and whipped it open. He fully expected to find Daryl and his sister in a compromising position, but instead he just found Daryl on the bed studying.

"You don't know how to fucking knock?" Daryl asked, quirking an eyebrow at Rick.

Rick just scratched his head. "I, uh, I thought. You know what? Never mind. Have you seen Carol?"

Daryl threw his head back and snorted. "Not since she left and went on a date with Shawn about thirty minutes ago."

"Shawn? As in Maggie's brother Shawn?" He yelped.

"Yep."

"What the hell! Why's she on a date with him? Why didn't anybody tell me about this?"

Daryl shrugged. "She ain't told me neither. Maggie slipped up and said something about her going at work...Then again she wasn't really talking to either of us for a few days there either."

Rick ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "Shawn's fucking worse than you are. I don't want my sister going out with him."

"Yeah, I ain't fucking thrilled about it either." Daryl huffed.

Rick quirked an eyebrow at his friend. "Why do you care who she's out with?"

Daryl froze. Fuck. He really had to start filtering his thoughts. "I uh. I just don't want nobody taking advantage of her. That's all."

Rick nodded and studied him carefully, wondering if there was more to it than that. He'd never seen Daryl care who Maggie or Michonne went out with. Granted, Maggie was with Glenn, but still. And he still wanted to know what the hell the two of them had been fighting about before. That would have to wait, though. He had bigger things to deal with right now. Like the fact he knew Carol was actually out with Shawn. "Do you know where they went?"

"Nah. She didn't say and I didn't ask."

"He likes that Greek place a lot, right?" Rick pointed out.

"Yeah. So?"

"You in the mood for some Gyro's?" Rick smirked, mischievously.

 **(I promise we will see Carol on her date next chapter. This is just what came out when I sat down to write. One day I'll reach a point where things won't move at snails pace. I really will. Thanks for everyone being patient and enjoying the ride so far. I know most of you say you don't mind and love the details, but I slightly feel like I'm torturing you all by dragging you on. I plan to update again tomorrow as long as I can channel my muse.)**


	32. Chapter 32

**Thanks for reading!**

Shawn greeted Carol in her driveway with a warm smile and moved to open the car door for her. He let his eyes sweep up and down her, noticing how the dress clung to her thin frame in all the right places. "You look really nice. I'm glad you agreed to come."

She returned a small smile to him and felt her cheeks flush. She may not have been interested in a relationship with the guy, but being noticed by a man was always flattering. "Thank you." She replied, slipping into his Honda Accord as he shut the door for her.

Shawn jogged over to the driver's side and hopped in the car, quickly starting the engine and heading down the road. "What kinda music do you like to listen to?" He asked as he pressed his hand to the stereo.

She shrugged. "I like a little bit of everything. Whatever you wanna put on is fine."

"I've got a CD with some covers my band and I did. You wanna check those out?"

"Yeah. I'd like that. You guys were really good when I heard you over the weekend." She gave him a small smile and moved her hands over her lap, nervously fiddling them about. Shawn was pretty dressed up tonight. He'd worn a nice button down and a pair of khaki pants. And though she didn't know him very well, she'd only really seen him in band t-shirts or shirts from the college that he had to wear at the athletic complex before. He'd obviously wanted to impress her and she was worried about what his expectations after tonight would be.

Shawn turned the track on the stereo until he hit number nineteen. When he removed his hand and returned it to the steering wheel, he looked over at his date and flashed her his best grin. _Bed of Roses,_ by Bon Jovi was the song they were covering and Shawn was singing and playing guitar.

()()()

They arrived downtown shortly after they left Carol's place. The drive wasn't long at all and they honestly could have walked from her house and left his car there. She was glad he hadn't suggested that, she really was. Because if they did she worried he might ask to come in after they got back to her place. And she wasn't ready for that. Not at all. Even if she had been, how would that work anyway with her brother and Daryl in the house?

She knew Rick didn't want her with Daryl, but would he really be that over protective when it came to any other guy? What would Daryl say if she ever brought some guy home and hooked up with him? Would he and the dude privately high five and compare notes about her? She almost shuddered at the thought. Then another thought crosser her mind, one she hadn't contemplated before. What would happen when Daryl hooked up with another girl? She knew he never brought them home, so she wouldn't have to worry about seeing them. But she might overhear him telling Rick or someone else about it. Or worse, he might tell her about it. She felt her stomach sink a little at those thoughts.

"You good?" Shawn asked with a laugh as he opened her car door for her.

She looked up at him, trying to process what he'd said because she'd been so lost in her thoughts. "Yeah, I uh, I guess that I zoned out there for a second."

He raised his eyebrows at her. "No kidding. You seemed like you were on a whole other planet there for a minute." He held his hand out to help her out of the low riding car.

She hesitated for a moment, worried that taking his hand would lead him on, but that ignoring him would make her seem like a complete bitch. He must have sensed her inward battle, because he gave her an understanding look.

"I'm just trying to be a nice guy here. A pretty girl like you deserves it. I ain't gonna bite."

She moved her hand in his and let him help her out of the car. She wasn't used to this at all. And though he might have been trying to be nice, she didn't really like it. Maybe some other girl would, but she didn't. She could open her own car doors. She could get out of a car by herself. After she'd gotten out of the car, he moved to place a strategic hand over her lower back. She felt her own muscles tense under his touch and wondered if he could feel it, too.

"I was thinking we could go to the Greek place right around the corner. They have the best Gyro's and Souvlaki I've ever had there."

Carol nodded. She used to get take out from a Greek place in New York at least once a week. It was Ed's favorite place to eat and the man had to have it every Tuesday night or he got in the pissiest mood. He was so meticulous about his routines. It used to drive her crazy.

She inwardly groaned. Great now she was being reminded of Ed. She pushed those thoughts from her mind and forced herself to try and enjoy tonight. It wasn't Shawn's fault where he wanted to eat reminded her of Ed. He really was trying to be nice and she didn't want to hurt his feelings. "Greek is fine with me. I actually used to eat it a lot back in New York."

()()()

"You ready?" Rick called out from the living room as he waited on Daryl to get changed so they could go spy on his sister.

"I'm coming." Daryl grunted from his bedroom. When he finally stepped in the living room he was wearing a pair of sunglasses and a backwards ball cap and he didn't miss that Rick was raising an eyebrow at him.

"Do you think those make you invisible?" Rick snorted.

"I think it makes me less fucking noticeable." He huffed. "Unlike you in that bright ass polo. You look like a walking fucking highlighter."

Rick rolled his eyes and checked the time on his watch. "We need to go if we're gonna be able to catch them in time."

"What the hell are we gonna do? Just walk up and sit in a booth with them if they're actually there?"

Rick shrugged he hadn't really thought about what he was going to do. He just knew he didn't want Shawn touching his sister. "Why not?"

Daryl shook his head. "She's gonna kick our asses if we do that. You might have a knack for pissing her off and staying on her bad side, but I don't like it when she's pissed at me."

Rick shot him a funny look.

"It makes shit awkward at work and at home." He quickly added, trying to cover himself.

Rick nodded. Things were awkward as hell when they were all mad at each other and he didn't want any more silent mornings at breakfast and he was tired of fighting with his sister. "What's your plan then?"

"We get a table in the back. Maybe pay off the waiter to keep tabs on them. Find out where they're going after and follow them." What the fuck was wrong with him? He thought to himself. That was the creepiest shit he'd ever said before. This girl had him all fucked up in the head.

Rick let out a laugh. "So we basically track her like she's a deer and wait for the perfect moment to make our move."

"Something like that." Daryl mumbled to himself, feeling hot rage course through his veins wondering what kinda moves Shawn had already tried to put on her and hoping like hell she was actually at this Greek place with him so he could stop anything from happening.

()()()

The two took Rick's car downtown and hurriedly made their way into the restaurant, both eagerly scanning their eyes for Shawn and Carol.

"Over there." Daryl whispered, stepping closer to Rick and pointing to a table in a back corner.

Rick peeked over the people in front of him and quickly noticed his sister in the back corner with Shawn. They were sitting across from one another and the two appeared to be laughing and having a good time. Rick scowled and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Can I help you two?" The hostess greeted them cheerfully.

"Uh yes, we need a table for two." Rick responded quickly, stepping forward from the now open space the group of three that were in front of them had vacated.

"Table or booth?" She asked with a smile.

Rick peeked in the back glancing at his sister one more time. "We need a booth. One that makes us unnoticeable. And one near that couple back there." He pointed towards Carol and Shaw.

The woman's face washed with concern and she gave them both perplexed looks.

Daryl swept his hand over his face and sighed. Rick made them sound even creepier than he fucking felt right now. He glanced down at the woman's name tag and gave her a half smile. "Janice? That's your name, right?"

She nodded, still not ridding her face of the concerned look.

He pulled every ounce of Merle Dixon he had in him to get the rest of this out, because he may be a lot of things, but a charmer wasn't one of them. Merle could charm his fucking way into a nun's panties. And that was the damn truth. He knew how to work people to get what he wanted. Men and women alike. Daryl hadn't ever had to work someone to get laid. Merle said it was because Daryl was the pretty one and girls naturally wanted his ass. He assumed he was right, because he'd never had to work too damn hard to get laid. And while he wasn't about to take this woman home, he figured it wouldn't fucking hurt to get her right where he wanted her so he could keep an eye on Carol "That's a pretty name and it's fitting for a pretty thing like yourself." He flashed her a sideways grin and looked over at Rick. "See, my friend here, he don't know how to act in public. You gotta excuse him. He don't get out much.

She blushed and smiled back at him, meanwhile Rick was giving Daryl a death glare.

"Anyway, that girl over there. She's his sister and the guy, well he's a buddy of ours. But the thing is, Janice." He gave her another sideways grin. "He ain't so nice when it comes to women. He's trying to weasel his way into her pants and we don't want that to happen. We came here to keep an eye on things. Make sure he don't get out of hand. Make sure the poor girl don't get taken advantage of."

"Awww!" She squealed. "That's just so sweet." She reached out and ran a hand down Daryl's arm. "Why can't all guys be like you two?"

Rick had to force back a laugh. Knowing she wouldn't think he was so sweet if she knew Daryl was almost exactly like Shawn and could give him a run for his money of being the king of one night stands.

"So you think you can get us a table close to them? One where we ain't gonna be noticed?" He asked, with a hint of arrogance in his voice knowing the charm worked.

A pleasant smile lined her face and then she nodded, leading them to a secluded booth with a perfect view of the duo.

"Who the fuck are you?" Rick whispered, leaning into Daryl so she couldn't hear.

"You met my brother?" He snorted. "I just took a page straight out of the Merle Dixon play book."

()()()

Once they'd gotten to the Greek place there had been a pretty long wait before they ended up being seated. A lot of people must have had the same idea they had tonight, because the place had been packed. Shawn had offered for them to go somewhere else, but she figured anywhere else downtown would probably be just as packed. She didn't want to drive to the other side of town, because she honestly wanted to get home sooner rather than later and finish that talk with Daryl and find out what had been on his mind.

After they waited about twenty minutes they'd finally been given a table. Between the wait and ordering drinks she and Shawn had talked more and she'd started to feel a bit more relaxed. He had finally moved his hand from her lower back and she made sure to sit across from him and not next him once they were seated, hoping to put some distance between them and hoping he'd get the impression she saw this as more of a friendly thing.

She'd fallen into good conversation with him, though. They discussed their relationships with their siblings. Traded war stories. Like the time Rick laced her clothes with itching power, or the time she'd covered him in fart spray and told him it was cologne. Or when Shawn had chopped all the hair off of Beth's Barbie dolls and when Maggie covered his toilet seat with saran wrap and he'd gotten pee all over himself.

She'd asked him why he didn't work at the clinic with the rest of his family and he'd told her used to. Back in high school and his first year of college. He'd trained Michonne when she was new and Maggie had trained Daryl. He'd told her he left because it wasn't his passion. Music was, and he wanted to be free to play shows. He also told her he loved athletic training and was actually going to school for that. That's why he worked at the gym part time. She hadn't really pictured him as an athletic trainer. He had tribal sleeves and he wore gauges in his ears, it fit his band image much better. But there was always more to people than meets the eye, she knew that all too well.

She'd told him some things about her childhood. Like how she used to play piano and that she ran track and cross country back in high school. She told him she used to sing some at church but she was sure she wasn't very good. Yet, she hadn't found herself able to be as open with him as she was with Daryl. She didn't bring up her past with her step-mom. She didn't mention she didn't see her parents often. Not even when he'd mentioned some things about his real dad and that he hadn't seen the man in years.

She could see herself being friends with him. Maybe hanging out with him on occasion, but she didn't feel a connection there. Romantic or sexual. He wasn't bad looking. But she wasn't drawn to him. Not like she'd been to Daryl. Hell, she'd never felt such raw, physical attraction to a man before. Such a desire to have someone. Fuck. Why did she keep thinking about Daryl?

()()()

Daryl and Rick sat in there booth, far enough away that they couldn't be seen, but not close enough they could hear anything. From what they could see, Carol looked pretty fucking content with the guy. Sitting there smiling and laughing and shit. Daryl would have liked nothing more than to walk over and dump Shawn's beer over his fucking head. But he couldn't do that, no matter how jealous he was, he wouldn't make himself look like a complete ass in front of an entire room full of people. When the waiter came back around to take their order a thought crossed Daryl's mind. After relaying their order to the man he kindly asked the duo if he could do anything else for them. Daryl decided to take his offer to another level completely. "You see those people over there" He said, pointing to Carol and Shawn.

The waiter nodded and raised an eyebrow. "Yeah. What about them?"

"Well, the girl. She's our roommate and she's kinda on a date with the fucker."

"I'm guessing you don't like the guy very much." The waiter chuckled, noticing Daryl's resentful tone.

"No. That's not it." Rick interjected. "We're friends with the guy."

"Okay?" The waiter replied, raising his eyebrows even higher and not understanding what the hell was going on here.

"Look, we just came here to make sure things go well. She asked us to come and keep an eye on her. Bail her out if we needed to." Daryl lied. "She's pretty nervous about going out with him. She was with her ex for four years and it's her first date in a long time."

"Yeah." Rick joined in with a mischievous smirk. "And uh, she wants to impress the guy, so she's pretty much just going along with everything he says. See, he hates mayo and she loves it. But she didn't wanna order it on her food since he didn't like it. Could you do me a favor and add lots of mayo to hers."

"That's exactly right." Daryl chimed in. "She fucking loves mayo. Put as much on there as you can."

"I don't think I'm supposed to do that." The man hesitated.

Daryl looked up at him, studying his face. If Merle had always told him one thing, it was that people could always be bought with a price. He reached into his pocket, pulling out his wallet and grabbing a large bill. "You do us a favor, and we'll do you one." He held his hand out and smirked as the man eagerly grabbed for the bill. Daryl pulled back and shook his head. "You get it when we leave."

"I need some kinda down payment if I'm doing this. A deposit."

Rick reached into his pocket and pulled out a twenty. "Here." There's your insurance. And you can keep all of the rest too, if you do one more thing."

"What?" He replied cautiously.

"Find out where they're going when they leave here."

()()()

As Carol and Shawn made their way up the steps to the movies Shawn let out an apologetic laugh. "I can't believe they put all that mayo on your gyro. It was practically drowning in it."

She shook her head, almost wanting to gag thinking about it. She hated mayonnaise. The smell had always made her sick. It reminded her of sweaty ass. It was practically pouring out of the gryro there was so much on it. "It was disgusting."

"You told them you didn't want anything but lettuce and tomatoes on it. I don't get how they screwed that up."

"The guy said someone new was in the kitchen." She shrugged. "Everybody makes mistakes. At least the pita bread and humus was good."

"Still wish you'd have let me order you something else. I know you still gotta be hungry."

"I'm fine. I promise. It just means I have more room to snack on popcorn while we're here." He moved his hand over her lower back again as he led her up the stairs to the theatre. She was hoping he'd have realized they'd work better as friends over dinner so she didn't have to be the one to come out and say it. She supposed she didn't have that good of luck, though. Especially considering she'd gotten a mayonnaise filled gyro earlier.

()()()

The waiter had stayed true to his word to Daryl and Rick's satisfaction. In addition to delivering the disgusting mayo filled entrée, he'd also casually asked them what their plans for the night were after this. Shawn had informed him that they were going to see the newest Divergent movie. They'd given him his money liked they'd promised and hauled ass after the two as soon as they saw them pay for their meal and leave.

"You, know, Carol's read all those books." Rick said on their way to the movies. "Taking her to that movie's one hell of a way to get on her good side."

Daryl moved his eyes to the floorboard and scowled. Why the fuck hadn't he done something like this before he slept with her? It probably would have made him look a lot more credible and maybe she'd have considered him relationship material then. Now all he was to her was a good weekend lay and Shawn was someone she'd fucking consider date worthy.

And maybe he was more worthy of her. Daryl thought to himself. He came from a good family, he made straight A's, and he was a talented musician. But the little fuck didn't know her, and Daryl doubted he actually cared much to know her. This was Shawn's thing. He took women on dates, he told them nice things, and then he moved on after he got what he wanted. Sure, he might spend a week or two with her, but he'd move on in the end. And if he hurt her, if he did that shit and she actually fell for it and felt something for him, he'd punch Shawn in the fucking face. Friends or not, his boss' kid or not, he'd deck him square in the jaw for hurting her.

"There they are." Rick pointed towards the stairs as he saw his sister walking up them with Shawn, he had his arm around her the small of her back.

Daryl's scowl deepened as he took notice of it, too. The thought of Shawn taking her home and doing everything he'd done with her this weekend had his stomach in knots.

()()()

The theater was practically empty. Daryl and Rick grabbed a seat in the back, noticing Carol and Shawn sitting closer to the front. There were a group of kids in front of Daryl and Rick. Three boys and two girls. They looked to be around twelve or thirteen. The boys didn't seem to be paying too much attention to the movie, instead they were playing on their phones.

"Why'd you buy so much damn candy?" Rick wondered aloud as he looked down at the three boxes in Daryl's hand. "That shits ridiculously expensive."

"You'll see." Daryl snorted, popping a sour patch kid in his mouth.

Rick tossed some popcorn in his mouth and the two sat in silence watching the movie and stealing glances down at Carol and Shawn. Things seemed innocent enough, until Daryl saw Shawn stretching. He knew the little fucker was gonna put his arms around her, so he decided to utilize all that candy he bought. As soon as he saw him move to place his arm around Carol, he tossed a gobstopper, hitting Shawn clear in the back of the head. He snatched Rick's arm and dove them both to the floor as soon as it left his hand.

"What the fuck?" Rick hissed in a whisper as he hit the floor with Daryl. He felt his hand land in something sticky and the last thing he wanted was to be on the nasty ass movie theater floor.

"Shawn was trying to put his arm around her. I hit him in the head with some candy to stop him. Shut up and stay low."

()()()

Shawn felt something jab him in the back of the head and turned around sharply. He looked behind him and saw a group of kids. They seemed to be looking down at their phones. "Little fuckers." Shawn mumbled, before turning around.

"What?" Carol whispered, not moving her eyes from the screen.

"Nothing. Just some kids throwing candy at me." He turned and looked again, making sure they weren't going to toss anymore at the back of his head.

()()()

Daryl peeped up from the back of the chair and noticed Shawn's arms must have returned to his side, because they weren't around Carol. A satisfied smirk lined his face, but then he wondered if he'd opted to hold her hand instead. He reached down and grabbed another candy and tossed it, then ducked again."

()()()

"Fuck" Shawn muttered, snapping his head back quickly. The kids were still looking down at their phones, but he was growing frustrated with them.

Carol couldn't help but chuckle. She felt bad for Shawn, but she'd done something similar when she was a kid. She and Rick had been at a hotel with their parents and they had water guns. They kept hiding and soaking unsuspecting victims. Their parents had been mad as hell when they got caught.

()()()

"That looks fun. Let me try." Rick laughed, taking a few of Daryl's candies." He tossed one and nailed Shawn again. Then dove back down behind the seat.

Daryl choked back a laugh and went to toss another, but felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He pulled it out, answering it barely above a whisper. "Yeah. What's up?"

"Daryl?" Came the reply from the other end. "Everything alright, son?"

He recognized the voice as Hershel's and steadied his voice to sound more serious. "I'm good. Just at the movies. Everything good at the clinic?"

"I have an emergency and I need your help. Can you come in?"

He could tell by the strained tone in the man's voice that whatever the emergency was had to be bad and that he needed help. "I'll be right there." He assured him. He glanced up over the seat and sighed as he looked at Carol and Shawn. "I gotta go into work. Can you keep an eye on them?"

"We're in my car." Rick pointed out. "I'll have to take you home so you can get your bike. Looks like we just gotta hope for the best. I don't think she's the kinda girl who'd sleep with someone on the first date. I know my sister pretty good."

Daryl groaned, not wanting to leave and not be there to stop something, but knowing he couldn't leave Hershel hanging. "Let's go." He mumbled. Rick might have had confidence she wouldn't sleep with Shawn, but he didn't. She'd slept with him and he hadn't gone to half the trouble Shawn did. Plus, she was pretty emotionally vulnerable, she'd admitted that much to him when she said the way Daryl looked at her made her feel good and wanna be with him. Shawn was basically looking at her the same way and going to more trouble for her than he had.

()()()

After they finished the movie, Shawn headed back to her place. They discussed the movie and how glad he'd been that the kids finally stopped throwing candy at the back of his head. She'd laughed and said they were just immature kids having fun, then she'd told him the story of her, Rick, and the water guns.

Shawn pulled in her driveway, putting the car in park and pausing to look over at her. "I had a really good time tonight. I know you didn't wanna come, but I'm glad you did."

She gave him a genuine smile, because she had ended up having a good time. She liked the movie, and even if her meal got messed up, she'd enjoyed their conversation at dinner. "Me too. I liked getting to know you better. Maybe we can hang out again sometime."

"Yeah. I'd like that."

She leaned over to give him a hug as a thanks for treating her to the meal and to the movie. The car was dark and she couldn't see well, but the next thing she knew, she felt Shawn's lips pressed against hers and she froze.

When he felt her freeze he immediately pulled back. "I'm sorry." He stammered. "I didn't meant to...I mean I just thought that." He ran a hand through his jet black hair and sighed. "I just thought things went well tonight."

"I'm sorry." She said quietly as she bit at her bottom lip. "I didn't mean to lead you on. I had a nice time with you, I really did." She paused and took a deep breath. "I thought you knew that I wasn't looking for anything when I agreed to come with you. My head and my heart, they just aren't in this. It's not fair to you." She shook her head and continued. "Maggie said you thought this was a date. I should have said something earlier. I just felt a lot of pressure not to hurt your feelings. I work for your family I'm friends with your sister…I think."

Shawn just smiled stupidly and shook his head. "I did tell Maggie this was a date and I know you said you didn't want this to go anywhere. And that was fine with me. I mean, hell to be honest, I'm not looking for anything serious. I'm not that guy."

"Then why'd you tell Maggie this was date?" She asked curiously.

He felt his face flush. "You're gonna think I'm an asshole.

"I think I can handle it."

"I did think it was a date." He confessed shamefully. "The kind with no strings or expectations if you know what I mean."

She felt her own face flame. "Oh, God." She clasped a hand over her mouth. "That's what you said, isn't it? I'm such an idiot."

"No you're not." He laughed. "It was a misunderstanding and I'm a jerk."

She shook her head again. "No, you're not. I get the fling thing. Trust me, I do. I'm not against them or anything. I mean, I've had one. It's a lot easier than getting your feelings involved."

He nodded. "I really am sorry, Carol. And I meant what I said, I do think you're a cool chick and I do like you as a person. I just thought we were on the same page there."

"Yeah, same to you." She laughed. "Well not that you're a chick, but you know what I mean."

He smiled and extended a hand. "Friends then?"

She smiled and shook his hand. "Friends."

()()()

Rick saw his sister walk in the door. He was relieved she'd come home straight after the movie and hadn't end up at Shawn's place. "How'd your date go?" He asked.

She walked up and plopped down beside him on the couch, resting her head on his shoulder and busting out in a fit of laughter.

"Is that good or bad?" Rick chuckled, wrapping an arm around her.

"Good. Better than good." She proceeded to relay her night with him, including all the details from the mishap with her food, to Shawn being hit with candy, to the awkward kiss, to Shawn thinking she wanted to sleep with him. And when she was finally done talking she looked up to make sure he wasn't going to blow a gasket from the last admission. "Don't be mad at him, Rick. He's just a guy and it kinda did sound like I wanted that."

Rick shook his head and let out a laugh. "I'm not. Nothing happened. That's all that matters."

"Even if it did, I'm not a little kid. I'm going to have sex with people. I have before and I'm going to again. You have to live with that."

He tightened his grip around her and pulled her close. "I just don't want you to get hurt again."

She nodded against his shoulder. "I know. Neither do I. That's why I'm not letting myself get close like that with someone again."

"You just said you were going to have sex again and I had to live with it." He countered.

"Sex and love are two different things." She pointed out.

He grimaced. "Let's just stop talking."

"You're worse than dad." She laughed.

He laughed again and grew quiet. "Was it weird?" He finally asked.

"Was what weird?"

"Kissing someone else besides Ed. I haven't kissed anyone since Lori. I keep thinking of how weird it's gonna be when I finally do."

She paused, thinking back to her kiss with Shawn. It had been weird. There wasn't a spark there. No chemistry. No excitement. Nothing. It had felt wrong and awkward. Then she let herself think back to that first time she kissed Daryl on the back porch. How her entire body jolted as their lips touched. She thought back to every kiss since then and how intense they were. How full of passion they were, how he made her feel alive and good. "Kissing Shawn was weird." She confessed, but I don't think it's always gotta be like that. I think if you're with someone and the chemistry is right, it'll be ten times better than any kiss you had with Lori."

"I hope you're right." He sighed.

She knew she was right, but she didn't say anything. "So, what'd you and Daryl do tonight?"

"Not much." Went and grabbed a bite to eat and then..." He stopped himself once he realized he'd almost told her he had gone to the movies, too. "We uh, just came back home. He got called in on emergency. He actually hasn't gotten back yet." He glanced over at the clock, noticing how late it was getting.

()()()

Daryl walked in the house late that night feeling very emotionally drained. If his day hadn't been shitty enough by learning Carol had a date with Shawn, his night had seen fit to be even more devastating. He was covered in blood from the emergency that came in.

It was a dog fight and this dog had been completely mauled. They had to amputate the back leg it was so mangled, air pockets were forming under its skin, and it had so many stiches on its side that the dog literally looked like it had been sown back together. The other dog barely walked away with a scratch according to the owner. And that had been about the only audible thing they'd said. They'd been in a panic and were screaming bloody murder between heaps of tears.

He loved animals. He really did. He might hunt, but he always ate what he killed. It was just the circle of life. He couldn't stand to see something suffer. And as much as he loved being able to help animals and their people, cases like this tore him apart. They'd wanted Hershel to try and save the dog. They'd begged him to do everything he could instead of putting it down, but he had little hope that this dog would be alive when he came in tomorrow. He'd never seen so much blood come from one animal the entire time he worked there. It was all over his shirt, all over his arms and the images wouldn't leave his mind. He headed straight for the shower, wanting to get the blood off of him and hoping the warm water would help erase those haunting thoughts.

He could usually handle that part of the job. He could usually separate himself from the cases and not take his work home with him. He knew he always did his best to try and help animals and he could take solace in knowing he'd done all he could. But tonight, he couldn't' find that solace. All he could hear was a little kid screaming and asking him if his dog was going to be okay. All he could see was a mother hugging her kid while she was crying just as hard as he was.

When he was done in the shower he realized he hadn't thought to grab a pair of fresh clothes in his haste to get clean. He tossed his ruined clothes in the dirty clothes hamper for the night, knowing he'd probably have to throw them away tomorrow but not feeling up to the trip to the trashcan tonight. He then wrapped a towel around his waist and headed to his bedroom. He closed the door behind him and took a seat on the edge of the bed, letting his head fall to his chest. All he could think about was the look on that family's face tomorrow if they had to tell them their dog didn't make it.

He was broken from his depressed state when he heard a few light knocks on his door. "Yeah." He called out lowly.

Carol opened the door slowly. She stepped inside and closed the door behind her, her face falling as she noticed how upset he looked. "What's wrong?" She asked, taking a seat beside him.

He let his head fall to his chest again and shook his head. He hadn't realized how emotional he was until he felt his voice grow shakey. "We had a bad emergency. I don't wanna talk about it."

She nodded in understanding, but she didn't stand up to leave. Instead, she felt an overwhelming urge to comfort him. She moved behind him, taking a seat and wrapping her arms around his chest tightly. She rested her head on his back and wound her legs around his waist.

He sucked in a deep breath once he felt her body wrap around him. Normally he just wanted to be left alone when he was upset. Well either that or lash out at someone. But he felt a strange sense of comfort as she encased her body around his.

She could almost feel the stress and tension radiating off of him and she moved to place a gentle kiss to one of the scars on his back. "I'm sorry about whatever happened at work. I'm sure you did everything you could."

He felt his body react to the press of her lips on his skin. "Sometimes everything you can do ain't enough." He mumbled.

She moved her head and placed her lips against the tattoo on his shoulder blade. "You're a good tech, Daryl. Hershel's a good vet. You can't save them all. I know you, whatever it was, you tried. I'm sure you tried harder than anyone else would have."

He jerked his head back at the second kiss. Was she trying to fucking kill him here? He was emotionally fucked up enough right now. And despite how good her lips felt on his skin, it was like a form of torture. Knowing he couldn't have her. Knowing he'd never be able to have her.

When his head arched back at her touch she all of a sudden felt a strange need to place a soft kiss against his neck. She hadn't meant for this to turn sexual. She really hadn't. She'd wanted to comfort him. To make him feel better. To be there for him. But he was wrapped in her arms and he was only wearing and a towel. And God, he was so gorgeous. And when she was upset, sex had made her feel better. What better way to take his mind off things?

He let out a moan when he felt her lips on his neck. Images of their weekend flooding his mind. He felt her hands roam over his chest, slipping lower and lower until they were right next the towel. His breathing quickened as she continued sucking and nibbling on his neck, tracing her fingertips over his waistline. Instinct took over and he whipped himself around, fiercely meeting his lips with hers and moving himself on top of her.

She greedily returned his kiss as soon as she felt his lips meet hers. This was such a fucking bad idea for so many reasons, but it felt so fucking good. And she wanted it to happen again so fucking bad.

He quickly laced his fingers under her tank top, practically snatching it over her head in his haste to get her naked. God, he wanted her so damn bad. He'd wanted her since he saw her in that dress earlier before her date with Shawn. He removed his lips from hers as that thought crossed his mind and let his head fall. "Fuck me." He panted.

"I'm trying to." She laughed, reaching to pull the towel all the way off of him and running her hands over him teasingly.

"Carol, this ain't a good idea." He forced himself to say, sucking in a few shakey breaths and fighting the urge to moan like a little bitch as she stroked him.

She moved her lips over his neck, suckling it gently and threading her free hand through his hair. "That didn't stop us before."

He sighed, fighting an internal battle. He didn't want her to know he was upset by her date with Shawn. He knew he'd come off jealous if he said something and he couldn't deal with rejection on top of everything else right now. "Rick's home." He muttered, hoping she couldn't argue with that.

"He's asleep." She moved her hands against his face and pulled it down to hers, demandingly moving her lips against his. "I'll be quiet, I promise."

He couldn't help himself. He kissed her back intensely, letting his hands roam all over her body until he finally reached her back, undoing the clasp on her bra.

She pulled apart from this kiss and moved her lips next to his ear. "I want you, Daryl. I wanna make you feel better. I wanna make you forget everything that's bothering you. Like you did for me."

And so he let her. Because he wanted to be inside of her more than anything right now. And he did want to forget. He wanted to forget that she'd been out with Shawn. He wanted to forget about work. He wanted to forget that she couldn't be his.

He just wanted this. Right now.

 **(This is insanely long and it was full of twists and turns. Hope you guys are still with me here!)**


	33. Chapter 33

**(Sorry guys. Apparently my motivation to write is a lot higher when I have things to procrastinate. Without further delay, here's the next one. Thanks always for reading and reviewing.)**

Carol pulled his face to hers one last time after they were done, kissing him slow and softly. Savoring the feel of his lips on hers, the way his skin felt pressed against her own. She couldn't help but reflect on the fact that this time had been vastly different than the other times they were together. The other times were frenzied, wild, full of immense passion. But tonight they'd moved together slowly, keeping themselves at a steady pace, moving together almost lyrically, ensuring they didn't make too much noise. And they'd practically kept their mouths glued to one another the entire time to muffle the moans of pleasure that threatened to spill from them.

And the other times were amazing, there was no denying that, but this time had been too. Despite the slower rhythm, it had felt just as good as it did before. Though she did have to admit that she noticed something undeniably different this time that hadn't been there before. It was almost as if there was a certain sweetness there that hadn't been present the other times.

The way his eyes bore into hers as they moved together, almost as if he was searching for something in that moment. The way his lips lingered on her skin with each kiss he pressed to her neck, her collar bone, her breasts, her jaw line, and her lips. It was like he wanted to taste every part of her. Like she was the sweetest thing his mouth had ever been on and that he wouldn't ever be able to get enough of her. Then there was the way he tantalizingly moved in and out of her. Giving her body his full attention, as if it had been his mission in life to satisfy her.

And it wasn't that he hadn't been attentive to her and her needs before. He had, he really had. More so than Ed ever even attempted to. He'd made sure she'd gotten when she needed each time, and he'd explored her body with enthusiasm. But this time, he'd paid even more attention to her. Every piece of her, almost as if he wanted to memorize her. To take everything in about her.

And just before he'd reached his own climax, he'd pressed his lips against her ear and muttered something about never feeling anything like this before and that he could do this with her a thousand times and never get tired of it, then he'd quickly moved his mouth against hers ferociously. And for the first time, she had actually believed that for some reason, she really was the best he ever had. Because she'd never seen another person look at her the way he had tonight. She'd never felt so connected to someone before in her entire life. And if she was being completely honest with herself, she wasn't ready for the moment to end.

For a brief moment, she let her mind get muddied as she felt a flutter of something in stomach, a butterfly-like feeling deep in the pit of her stomach as their tongues swirled together. One she'd promised herself she never wanted to feel again. One she promised herself she wouldn't ever feel again.

But as he tore his mouth from hers in attempt catch his breath, she watched as he slowly rolled off of her and went to remove the used condom and dis-regard it in the trash. And as he collapsed on his back into the bed, she pushed that feeling away and buried it deep inside of her. Reminding herself that just as Shawn told her earlier he wasn't the kind of guy who'd ever want a relationship, that Daryl wasn't either. That what just happened between them had been her attempt to comfort and console him in his distressed state, and that he'd told her it wasn't even a good idea, but she'd pushed for it anyway until he agreed. Whatever she thought she felt wasn't something that would ever be, or ever could be, so she forced herself back into reality of the here and now.

She rolled on her side and propped her head in her right hand. Looking over at Daryl as she did and noticing a look in his eyes that had her remembering how upset he'd seemed earlier in the day. Noticing that despite what they'd just done and how he did seem to be relaxed more overall, that something still wasn't quite right with him. "Good?" She asked him softly.

He let out a low growl and rolled over beside her. Trailing kisses along her neck all the way down to her breast, gently suckling once he reached it. As he made his way back up he stopped to look in her eyes before speaking. "Hell yeah." He muttered. "Always is."

She couldn't help but let out a low laugh, knowing he'd misunderstood what she'd said. She placed a hand on his chest, gently pushing him away as he went to move his mouth back to her neck. "I meant are you good now? I know that was." She stated confidently.

"Getting cocky ain't you?" He chuckled.

She shook her head and shrugged. "You're the one who said something along those lines right before you came. Besides, I was there. I could tell you liked it just as much as I did."

He felt his cheeks burn, remembering just what he'd blurted out and wondering if she'd had any clue that it really had a double meaning.

They hadn't bothered to turn his lamp off before they'd started going at it, so she could see the color rising in his face. She couldn't help but smile, wondering how he could feel any shame in front of her as many times as they'd been together by now. The way he was leaning had his bangs hanging down, covering those gorgeous blue eyes of his. She gently brushed them back and kissed him on the lips again softly. When she pulled back, she leveled her eyes with his, wanting to figure out what was still plaguing him. "Seriously Daryl, are you okay? I mean, you seem a hell of a lot more relaxed, but it still seems like there's something bothering you."

He didn't know what to say to her. He'd let himself get lost in the moment with her. Enjoying the feel of her body next to his, her body being connected with his. He'd temporarily forgotten everything else as they got lost in each other, though he knew that there was something vastly different about the sex this time. And it wasn't just different because it had been slow and sweet. Though he'd never had that kind of sex with someone before and he never would have thought he'd have enjoyed it like that. But he fucking did. He really did.

No, it was different because he knew how much he fucking liked her this time. And that realization made the whole experience different for him. It made him look at her differently as he was with her. It made him appreciate her more as she was underneath him. It made him want to please her even more than he would have before, which was saying something because he'd worked damn hard at it before.

He knew he couldn't tell her what he felt, he knew that beyond a shadow of a doubt, but he thought maybe he could show her. That maybe he could communicate physically to her what he couldn't speak. That maybe she'd know there was something different for him this time, and maybe she'd feel it too. And he'd searched her eyes, hoping he'd be able to detect a change on her end. Hoping that maybe he'd be able to see it if she felt something for him too.

And when she'd grabbed his face, desperately pulling him for another kiss, unwilling to let it end anytime soon, he'd been somewhat hopeful that something had changed for her too. But he'd had to pull away to get his breath, and he had to get take the used condom off, and when his back hit that bed, he was pulled back to reality. He was reminded that hours earlier she'd been out on an actual date with someone else. He was reminded that she'd told him she wanted to sleep with him only because she wanted to make him feel better, the same way sex had made her feel better over the weekend.

And he felt the sting of that realization. He felt the sting of the fact that he knew she'd be climbing out of his bed shortly and returning to her own. He felt the sting of knowing that he wasn't what she was looking for. That they were more or less a way to kill each other's pain. Friends with benefits when convenient he supposed.

So he couldn't exactly tell her what was really on his mind. But he found he had a hard time lying when she looked into his eyes as well. It was really a double edged sword. "Guess I'm still upset about earlier." He mumbled, knowing he meant Shawn, but hoping she thought he was talking about the emergency, which wasn't a complete lie, because if he let himself think about it, it would quickly bum him out again no doubt.

She nodded in understanding and moved to rest her head on his chest. "Maybe it's gonna be okay. You never know when things can turn around for the better, even if you don't expect them to. We aren't always in control of those things. That's what Hershel says. Right?"

He just nodded in return. "I guess we ain't."

She laid next to him for a while, lazily running her hand up and down his chest as his fingertip stroked her arm. But she could feel her eyelids getting heavy and she knew she'd be out like a light if she didn't get up and get in her own bed soon. Lying next to Daryl was warm and comfortable and if Rick wasn't home, she really wouldn't bother getting up, but she was worried they'd get caught if she didn't. Having sex with him in the house in the first place had honestly been reckless thinking back on it with a clearer head now. "I should go to my room." She muttered, yawning as she pushed herself up off of him. "It's getting really late and I can barely keep my eyes open.

He tugged at his bottom lip, not wanting her to leave, but not willing to ask her to stay. He pushed his own self up, leaning back against the headboard as he watched her climb out of the bed and gather up her scattered clothes. As he watched her get dressed beside his bed he slowly scooted himself towards her. After she'd managed to get all of her clothes on and she turned around to face him, he gently placed a hand over her wrist and pulled her closer to him. There was a burning question he needed to know the answer to. One that threatened to eat him alive if he didn't bring it up. "I need to ask you something."

He had a troubled look on his face, one that she couldn't help but feel worried by and she could feel concern play over her own face as she looked back at him. "What is it?"

"I just." He sighed heavily. "You were out on a date with Shawn earlier, but you came home and slept with me. Why?"

She fell back in the bed beside him, bursting into a laughing fit.

"What's so damn funny?" He barked, not finding humor at all in the question he just asked and feeling like she was laughing at him.

She bellowed out a few more deep laughs and shook her head at the displeased look on his face. "I'm sorry." She forced herself to compose her voice and grow serious. "I would have told you about everything that happened, but then we kinda got a little pre-occupied and Shawn and that entire evening were the furthest thing from my mind." When he shot her an even stranger look she laughed one more time and relayed the story to him. The same one she'd told Rick and when she got to the point where Shawn had kissed her. She felt him shift beside her and grow tense, but when she'd told him how she froze in panic and eventually told Shawn that she wasn't interested in him that way, it was as if his body immediately relaxed. She continued to tell him how Shawn had just been interested in sex and how he'd hinted at it that day and they'd taken two different meanings away from that talk.

"Sounds like Shawn. I could have told you he just wanted a piece of ass if you'd have told you were going out with him more than five minutes before you left." Daryl snorted.

"Maybe I would have if you hadn't been ignoring me." She shoved his chest lightly and laughed again, but she quickly pulled away, growing still and silent.

Daryl didn't miss the change in her demeanor either. "What is it?" He asked softly. Cupping her chin so she'd meet his eyes and not the bed sheets she was currently staring at.

She swallowed and took a deep breath. "I just...don't want things to get weird between us again like before. I don't want you not talking to me for two days again."

"Why the hell would I do that?"

She looked at him like he was stupid. "Because that's what happened when Rick came home Sunday. You said you felt guilty for lying to him and you wanted to put distance between us. I wasn't even thinking about that when I initiated this. If I would have been then I wouldn't have done it. I didn't mean to make you do something you didn't wanna do. I didn't mean to screw things up again."

He hung his head. Mentally kicking himself for being such an ass the first time. Then kicking himself again for the lie he'd told to cover why he was being such an ass. "You didn't make me do nothing I didn't wanna do." He replied firmly. "And I ain't gonna ignore you again. I told you I wouldn't be an ass again and I ain't planning on it. What happened tonight, it happened. I wanted it just as fucking much as you did. You didn't screw things up. Don't worry. Me and you, we're good."

"But we were good that weekend too, then Rick came home and…"

He cut her off with a kiss. "Stop." He said, pulling away from her, running a hand through a curl hanging down in front her face. "I ain't gonna ignore you…I uh…I miss talking to you too much when I do." He felt himself blush again, then looked away from her.

She settled back into the bed with him, moving her arms over his waist and resting her head in the crook of his neck. She suddenly didn't feel such a pressing need to get in her own bed anymore.


	34. Chapter 34

**(When I promised to update more when I got out of school I really wasn't taking into account how much I loved the outdoors and warm weather. My bad. I'll try my best to do one at least every other day. As always, thanks for reading and reviewing!)**

Maggie glanced down at her phone and grinned slyly as she and Glenn laid in bed. "Operation Caryl is in play."

Glenn looked over and gave his girlfriend a perplexed look. "Operation what?"

She rolled her eyes at him, as if it should have been the most obvious thing ever. "You know, it's like Carol, but with a y instead of an o. It's a play on her and Daryl's name."

He gave her a dumbfounded look and shook his head at her. "You have a serious problem. You do realize that, don't you?"

She put her phone down and scooted closer to him, wrapping an arm around him and resting her head on his shoulder. "I do not. They do. And I'm trying to help them fix that problem."

Glenn sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "But what if your plan would have back fired? What if she would have actually liked Shawn and she would have kissed him back. Or, what if Shawn would have actually liked her and wanted more than just a fling?"

"She wouldn't have ended up liking Shawn. She's already sprung on Daryl…she just doesn't wanna admit it to herself just yet. And Shawn wouldn't have liked her, he doesn't do relationships."

Glenn narrowed his eyes on her. "Neither does Daryl, yet you're convinced he's secretly in love with Rick's sister."

"I never said in love." She chuckled. "But he likes her and she likes him. Trust me. I work with them. I see the little looks they give each other. Besides, you saw them at the pool hall that night. You saw them on Easter at Daddy's. They were always next to each other. She had to ride on the damn horse with him! Didn't you notice how comfortable she looked while she was holding onto him? They were so cute."

Glenn couldn't deny that Daryl had been different ever since he met Carol. He'd noticed several times in the class they shared together that he seemed to be zoned out or that his mind was wandering elsewhere. And Glenn Rhee was almost certain that he knew that his mind was on Rick Grimes sister during those times. But his suspicions were a bit different than Maggie's.

No doubt, Glenn thought that Daryl wanted to sleep with her. She was a pretty girl and she was living in a house with him. And more importantly, she was off limits per his best friend/roommate. She was forbidden fruit, and Glenn had a feeling that made him want her a hell of a lot more. Maggie might have thought he was crushed out and finally found someone he actually liked, but Glenn had a feeling she wouldn't appeal to him as much if Rick hadn't been so adamant about him staying away from her.

And even if Daryl really did like her, he didn't know that Carol's feelings were the same. She was Rick's sister. after all. And after two months Rick didn't seem to be ready to move on from Lori. Carol had barely been single two weeks. He just thought that the whole thing was a recipe for disaster. "Let's say that you are right." Glenn mused. "Maybe hell froze over and Daryl is actually into her for more than a fling. But if he is, do you really think that Daryl being jealous is a good thing?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean….I just can't picture him sitting at home and pining over her being out with someone else. I feel like if he liked her and he knew she was out with someone else, then he'd just go out and hook up with someone to take his mind off it or to try and make those feelings go away."

"He wouldn't even follow through with going home with that girl at the pool hall that night." She chuckled. "I'm telling you, he isn't touching anyone else."

She had a point. He'd been sure Daryl was going home with that girl as soon as he'd seen them on a bench sharing a cigarette that night. He'd called it in front of both Carol and Maggie and Maggie had bet him five bucks he wouldn't. And Glenn had lost and had to hand that five bucks over to his girlfriend. But that was different. Carol had been new in town and she'd barely known Maggie and Glenn. He figured he just had a guilty conscience about leaving her alone. He didn't think that meant he liked her.

He yawned and then looked over at the clock, realizing how late it was getting. "I guess we'll have to wait and see." He muttered, reaching over and turning the lamp off. "But either way I still think it's kinda weird that you're shipping your friend's love lives."

Maggie smirked and snuggled closer to Glenn, pulling the covers up around herself tighter. "I'm not shipping them. I just like Carol a lot and I know she's hurting. I was her once upon a time. Don't you remember?"

Glenn smiled and placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head. "I know that when we first got together it was a kind of similar situation. But she isn't you. And Daryl isn't me."

"You're right. And yeah, he's probably the last person on the planet that would ever want to get into a relationship. But I've never seen him like this with someone before. I've never seen him connect with someone so fast."

Glenn was about to protest that he met women and went home with them all the time, but Maggie must have noticed the look he had or anticipated what he was going to say, because she jumped back in before he could say anything.

"I don't mean like that. I mean to really connect with someone. He talks to her. He's comfortable around her. You know it took him weeks to be able to have a full conversation with me when he first started working at the clinic. And he barely spoke two words to you the first several times he saw you unless he'd been drinking. She told me the night she moved in that the two of them stayed up talking half the night."

"Maybe you're right." Glenn finally relented, realizing she made some good points and honestly being too tired to argue about it. "But I still think that the Shawn thing could have ended bad. You can't play with people like that."

"I didn't play with anyone! He asked me if she was single and I said yes. Then he asked me if she and Daryl had something going on and I said no. As far as I knew they hadn't done anything and that was the truth."

"You told him it was a great idea when he said he wanted to take her out!"

"I didn't say who it was a great idea for." She snorted.

()()()

The first thing Carol noticed as she drifted into consciousness the next morning was that she was really warm. The next thing she noticed was that she was really comfortable and that she wasn't ready to get out of bed. She reached for the bedside table to grab her phone and peep at the time to see if she could doze off for a little longer. When she felt nothing on the table, she groaned and forced her eyes open so she could see if the phone had somehow fallen during the night. But instead finding her phone, she found she wasn't in her room. And she wasn't alone. She was in Daryl's room, in Daryl's bed, and he had one arm securely gripped around her waist while his face was buried in her pillow. Or, his pillow technically. But it was the one her head was on.

She'd fallen asleep with him again. After snuggling back up beside him they'd talked some more and she must have dozed off without realizing it. And now it was morning and she had no idea what time it was. For all she knew, her alarm could have gone off several times already. Rick could already be awake and in the living room or the kitchen. "Shit, shit, shit." She mumbled to herself, a million things running through her mind. The first one being that Rick would come in here for some reason and find the two of them together. And there'd be no getting out of it either. Because they were both still very naked.

She strained her neck over Daryl's sleeping frame to get a view of the alarm clock on his side of the bed. Her panicked state wasn't quelled when she noticed the time. She should have been up an hour ago! She got up early every morning to get a run in and then have time for a shower before she had to start getting ready for work. She'd definitely missed out on that this morning. The worst part about it was that it was about the time that Rick got up every morning and she knew he'd be headed to the kitchen in search of something to eat. As she rolled over and tried to free herself from Daryl's arm, his grip around her tightened and he pulled her back to him.

"You ain't gota go." He mumbled, sleepily.

She wasn't even sure if he was awake and knew what he was saying, so she once again tried to roll and free herself. But it was no use, because he wrapped his other arm around her.

"Stop moving, damn it." He groaned. "You ain't gotta go to your damn room. Just stay here with me."

"Daryl." She hissed out in an annoyed whisper. "It's almost seven and my brother's going to be up any minute. I don't want him to see me leaving your room. Do you?"

That got his attention and his head quickly jolted up and he snatched his arms away from her. He'd been fast asleep when he'd felt her stirring beside him. He was sleeping damn good and he wasn't ready to get out of bed. And he hadn't been ready to let go of her either. She'd fallen asleep in his arms last night and he hadn't bothered waking her up so she could go to her own room. He hadn't wanted her to.

But morning was here, and he damn sure didn't want to deal with the aftermath of Rick knowing what had gone on last night either. And as much as he'd like to stay here in bed with her all day, he knew that wasn't an option. "Didn't know you'd end up sleeping so late if stayed in here." He muttered, rubbing his eyes as he adjusted to the sunlight in the room.

"Yeah, me either. I didn't mean to fall asleep on you. You're just…really comfortable." She grinned.

He grinned back at her and as he watched her turn to get out of the bed he caught her wrist and pulled her to him, placing a soft kiss on her lips. "You can stay in here any time you want." He said as he pulled his lips from hers.

She looked into eyes, trying to decide if that was some invitation to establish some type of official friends with benefits thing or if he really meant she could come curl up next to him for the night any time she wanted to. But before she could ask him what he meant a knock at the door had both of them jumping.

"Daryl? You awake?" Rick called out from the other side of the door.

He looked at Carol and with a look of uncertainness in his eyes. If he said yes, what if he opened the door and just walked in? He'd see them both in bed together.

"Daryl?" Rick called out a little louder, knocking harder on the door as he did.

"Yeah, I hear you." He grumbled, nodding towards his closet hoping Carol would get the hint to go hide in it. And luckily she had, because she leaped quietly from her place in the bed and tip toed towards his closet.

"Can I come in?" Rick asked and placed his hand on the door knob.

Daryl cringed and looked over to notice the closet door slowly closing. He didn't want Rick to come in, but he hadn't wanted him to be suspicious either. "I guess." He muttered.

Rick opened the door and looked around the room. "Have you seen my sister?"

Daryl shook his head and pulled the covers up higher, remembering he didn't have anything on underneath him. "Not since last night."

Rick scanned the room once more and looked back to Daryl. "Oh. I just thought she might be in here with you. I haven't seen her this morning and she's usually up and making something to eat by now."

"Maybe she overslept."

"I thought that, too. I went to try and wake her up and she wasn't in her room. Her phone was on her night stand."

"Maybe she went on a run." Daryl suggested, feeling himself start to sweat from knowingly lying to his best friends face.

"Maybe…but her running shoes were by her door where they usually are."

"She's probably got more than one pair. I'll uh, I'll get dressed and then we can go a walk around the neighborhood and look for her if you want." He offered, rubbing his hand across the back of his neck nervously.

Rick cocked an eyebrow at him. "Are you naked under there?"

Daryl just shrugged. "It was fucking hot last night and sleeping like this is comfortable. You want me to help you look for her or not?"

Rick chuckled held up his hands then backed towards the door. "I'm glad I knocked."

Once Rick was gone Daryl ran a hand through his hair and got up and turned the lock on his door. "You can come out." He whispered.

Carol opened the closet door slowly and walked out with a hand covering her face. "I'm sorry. I should have gotten up last night and gone to my bed when I said I was going to."

"It's okay. Ain't like I was exactly trying to kick you out or anything."

She pulled her hand away from her face and met his eyes. "What the hell are we gonna do?"

Daryl slipped into a pair of boxers then pulled some shorts on over them. "You're gonna climb out my window and walk in the front door. Tell him you were just out running."

She had on a tank top and a pair of sofee shorts. That would be believable enough, if she actually had shoes on. She pointed to her bare feet and raised her eyebrows at him.

"You got a better idea?"

She just sighed and headed for his window.

()()()

Daryl tossed a shirt over his head and headed into the living room with Rick. He'd been sure to give Carol enough time to make it around the house before leaving his room. This was a giant cluster fuck and he knew it. "You ready?" He asked Rick, trying to sound as concerned as possible, though he knew exactly where she was.

Rick nodded. "I appreciate you going with me. I'm sure she's fine. I just thought it was weird she didn't have her phone and her shoes were still there."

Daryl just nodded. "No problem."

As Rick opened the front door and stepped on the porch he saw his sister rounding the corner and heading into the driveway.

"Where are you two going?" She asked, jogging onto the steps.

"To look for you. Where've you been?"

"I over slept a bit and got a late start on my run. I was in such a hurry I forgot my phone."

He looked her up and down. Her curly hair was pulled into a messy ponytail, but he was sure it hadn't seen a brush yet this morning. And the stranger thing was that she was barefoot. "Where the hell are your shoes?"

"I read an article that running barefoot is good for your back. Figured I'd give a try."

Rick crossed his arms over his chest and stared her down. Her story was odd to say the least and she hadn't worked up much of a sweat during the run from what he could tell.

She mirrored his stance. "Are you gonna stand there and stare at me all morning or are you gonna let me inside so I can get ready for work?"

Rick moved aside so she could get in the front door and watched her curiously as she walked inside. When she disappeared from his view he turned his attention to Daryl who was awkwardly standing on the porch with his hands in pockets.

He looked over at Rick and motioned to the front door. "We're all gonna be late if we don't start getting ready."

Rick didn't say anything, he just nodded in agreeance and followed Daryl inside.


	35. Chapter 35

When Rick dropped Carol off at work the next morning she paused in the front seat before getting out. She twiddled her fingers back and forth for a moment before looking up to meet her brother's eyes. "You know I love you. Right?"

Rick looked at his sister, not missing the troubled look in her eyes and the way her voice sounded off. "Yeah." He replied slowly. Still studying her features and her nervous movements

She exhaled and reached over, gripping her arms around his neck tightly and pulling him close to her. "I need you to remember that. I need to know you always remember that, no matter what."

Rick hugged his sister back tightly, a sick feeling brewing in the pit of his stomach at her strange behavior. He wondered if it had anything to do with how weird the morning had been. Not being able to find her in the house and then her meeting him and Daryl in the driveway. Her being barefooted saying she'd just been on a run. "I know you love me. I'd never doubt that." He rubbed his hand up and down her back gently as she still clung her arms around him. "Is everything alright? You're kinda freaking me out here."

She tightened her grip around him and forced herself to nod. Because truthfully, everything with her was fine. She was happy. Happier than she'd been in a while. But lying to Rick was eating away at her. She felt so guilty about this morning and she still couldn't believe he hadn't questioned her harder. That he hadn't questioned Daryl. She felt like they were playing him for a fool, and she knew if he ever found out what happened that he'd be irate. Not just because they'd gone behind his back, but because they blatantly lied to him about it, repeatedly. "I'm fine…I just…I wanted you to know that. That's all." She finally loosened her grip and pulled away from him. "Thanks for the ride. I'll see you tonight."

He watched her closely as she reached for the door handle of his car, feeling that something wasn't quite right. Feeling like there was something she wasn't telling him. And he'd honestly felt that way ever since this morning. Her story didn't make sense at all. But why would she lie to him about where she'd been? Where could she have really been? But he knew his sister, and if she was hiding something. If she didn't want him to know something, she wasn't going to come to him until she was ready. That's just who she was. "See you tonight." He replied, and gave her a wave before driving off.

()()()

As Carol made her way into the clinic that morning she couldn't help but notice a cage with a towel hanging over it. Her curiosity got the better of her and she peeked behind the towel, revealing a dog in an oxygen box with a missing leg. It slowly lifted its head and gave its tail a slow wag once it noticed her. "I'll be damned." She smiled to herself. "You made it through the night."

"He did." Hershel replied, walking up behind her.

She turned to face him, slightly startled at hearing his voice because she hadn't noticed him when she walked in the room. "This is the emergency from last night?" Right?"

He nodded. "It sure is. I take it Daryl told you about it when he got home."

"Yeah, he did. He said it was pretty bad."

"It's one of the worst ones I've seen in a long time. I wasn't expecting him to pull through the night. It's still touch and go." He said, looking down at the dog was still very weak and critical. "But he made it through the night. He's a fighter. That's for sure."

She nodded in agreeance and smiled again. "Daryl didn't think he'd make it either. He was pretty upset. I can't wait to see his face when he comes in today."

Hershel couldn't help but smile at the way he saw the girl light up. "Did you enjoy your date with my step-son last night?"

"Oh. Uh…Shawn's a great guy. But I uh, we uh, we agreed to just be friends. I'm not ready to date again. I'm just not really in that place right now." She let out a nervous laugh. "I'm sorry. I'm rambling. Was that too personal?"

Hershel just chuckled and patted her on the back. "No, dear. It's fine. We're all family here, after all."

"Yeah." She replied, laughing nervously again.

He reached up and checked the almost empty IV bag, then turned his attention back to Carol. "You know? After I lost Maggie's mother I never thought I would wanna be with anyone again. Losing her, well it just hurt too much. I closed myself off for a long time. I wouldn't let myself get close to anyone other than my kids. Then one day I realized I'd been missing out on something great that had been in front of my face the whole time. And now I regret the extra time that I could have had with the person I'm with now. Keep that in mind, Ms. Grimes."

She looked at him curiously. Wondering if he'd wanted things to go well with her and Shawn and if he was disappointed it wasn't going anywhere. She wondered if he knew his step-son wasn't even looking for that himself. "I'll uh, keep that in mind, Dr. Greene." She replied, realizing it was the best thing to say since he was her boss.

He went to walk away, but stopped to face her once more. "You like working here, don't you?"

She briefly felt her stomach drop, like she'd somehow jeopardized her position by shooting Shawn down. "Yes…I…I love working here."

"You're doing a fine job, Carol. And I know you've been working hard to learn more. I know you've had Daryl teach you some things and that you helped him do kennels on Easter. He said you were really good with the animals in boarding." He paused, chuckling again as he noticed how nervous she looked. "I think you're a smart girl. You pick things up quickly. I'd like for you to learn more if you're interested. Maybe come back here an hour or so each day. Daryl can start training you how to do some things. How to run bloodwork, how to give shots."

"Seriously?" She asked, feeling relieved and excited all at the same time.

"Yes ma'am. Very serious. You're work ethic and intellect impresses me. I'd love to have you as a tech one day. And I'd offer to let you learn under Maggie or Michconne, but you and Daryl….you mesh well together. I think he should be the one to teach you."

"Thank you so much Dr. Greene!" She beamed, almost running to give the man a hug but stopping herself before her feet headed towards him.

()()()

Normally each day Carol would head to lunch about the same time Daryl, Maggie and Michonne were clocking in. Sometimes she'd leave before he got there and others it would be after it just depended on how busy they were and when Annette told her to clock out. Today, she'd been told to clock out before he got there, but she'd decided to wait in treatment for him. She didn't wanna leave until she got to see his face when he saw that the dog had pulled through the night. So, she sat back in treatment, completely off the clock, chatting with Michonne as she watched the other girl do a nail trim. When she heard the turn of the door knob she spun her head around to see Daryl stepping into treatment. A smile lined her face as she ran up to him and grabbed his hand, practically dragging him to the dog's cage. "Come here. You have to see this!" She squealed.

He'd been a little surprised at her snatching his hand the moment he'd walked through the door. He hadn't even clocked in yet as she pulled him to the cage with a towel hanging in front of it. He watched her peel the cover back and was stunned to see the dog from last night looking up at him. "Holy shit." He mumbled.

"He made it thought the night." She said, looking up at him and grinning. "Hershel said he's still really weak and anemic from the blood loss, but he made it through the night. I think he's got a chance."

He couldn't help but smile to himself as he looked down at the dog. The son bitch was tough as nails to have made it through that. That was for sure. He knew that kid and his mama were going to excited to know he had a fighting chance now. "I think you're right." He admitted, looking back over at her and shaking his head in disbelief.

She ran her hand up and down his back slowly. "I just wanted to be here when you saw him. We aren't always in control of things. But we do what we can and hope for the best, and sometimes things work out. Right?"

He just nodded, still in disbelief of the sight before him.

Meanwhile Michonne had paused from the nail trim she was doing to watch the two of them. Not missing the way she was running her hand up and down Daryl's back. She looked over to Maggie, who was pulling blood from a dog, and raised an eyebrow.

Maggie had also had her eyes on the duo and when she felt Michonne's eyes on her, she just shot her friend a grin, then returned to her work.

()()()

Michonne left work early that day because she had a dentist appointment. She'd gotten a text during her appointment from Rick. One saying he wanted to meet up with her and talk. She had no idea what he wanted, but she'd quickly agreed to meet once she was done. So, despite having a freshly filled cavity, she rushed to the coffee shop to meet him as soon as she could. Once she got there she found him waiting on her with his head in his hands. "You alright?" She slurred, pulling up a chair beside him. One side of her mouth was still very numb.

He looked up at his friend and grinned, noticing how her speech was off. "You shouldn't drink and drive. It's bad for you."

She scowled at him and playfully nudged his arm. "You want me to go home, Grimes?"

He hummed and shook his head. "Nah. I need you here to keep me sane."

She quirked an eyebrow at him, noticing the distressed tone in his voice. "What's going on?"

He just shook his head and moved his head back into his hands, propping his elbows up on the table. "I think I'm losing my mind."

"Rick." She replied softly, reaching out to touch his shoulder. "What's up?"

He sighed heavily and looked up at her. "What do Daryl and my sister act like at work?"

She hadn't been prepared for that question at all, and she wasn't exactly sure how to answer. It was a delicate topic. One she wasn't sure she was qualified to answer. She had no doubt the two were attracted to one another. Had something happened? She didn't know and didn't want to know for this very reason. She knew Rick was extremely against anything happening between the two. "They're…friendly." She decided to go with.

"Friendly?" He repeated, quirking an eyebrow of his own. "What do you mean friendly?"

She just shrugged. "I mean…they talk a lot. They joke around. If she needs something from him she taps his shoulder or touches his arm. They're just really friendly." She saw his face drop and she sighed to herself. "She touches Maggie's arm too when she needs something. I noticed she does that when she's comfortable with people. It doesn't mean anything, Rick."

He shook his head again. "Something wasn't right with her this morning. She seemed off. And I couldn't find her in the house when I woke up. Her phone and running shoes were in her room. I knocked on Daryl's door to see if he'd seen her. He said he hadn't." He sighed again. "I thought she was in there. I really did. I was convinced she was. But he let me come in and I didn't see her. He offered to help me look for her and when we walked out the door she was coming in the drive way. She said she'd been running."

"So she'd been running." Michonne chuckled. "What's wrong with that? Doesn't she do that every morning?"

"She was barefoot." He deadpanned, grabbing his coffee and taking a large sip.

Michonne grew quiet, placing her chin in her hands. "Did you ask her if that's where she'd really been?"

"I challenged her. Let her know I didn't believe her. She said something about running barefoot being good for her back or that she read it somewhere and wanted to try it. I don't know." He sighed again and rubbed his hand across his forehead. "Daryl was on the porch and something about the way he was standing there with his hands in his pockets. The way he was watching her as she walked inside. Something didn't seem right. Then when I drop her off at work she grabs meand tells me she loves me and hugs me. I just…I feel like they're keeping something from me."

Michonne nodded in understanding, she had to admit the situation seemed suspect. Especially the running barefoot part. "Have you asked either of them point black if they're fooling around?"

"I have…when I got home from my parents on Easter. I walked in and they were cuddled up on the couch. I flipped out on them. Both of them said nothing was going on. That it was innocent…and I wanna believe them. I want to…but if Shane and Lori were lying to me how can I trust anyone else?"

Michonne gave him a small smile and rubbed his arm again. "Everyone isn't Shane and Lori, Rick. Everyone isn't going to lie to you and hurt you. Daryl might be a lot of things, and I don't doubt that he wants to sleep with her, but do you really think he'd do that to you and then lie about it?"

"I don't know." He admitted.

"If he did would it really be so bad?" She mused.

His mouth gaped at her at that statement. "That's my sister."

"I'm just saying….she's an adult, Rick. Maybe you shouldn't worry so much about what she's doing."

"I don't want her getting hurt." He snapped. "Daryl only wants one damn thing. And if she slept with him she might go into it thinking it would be a one-time thing, but I know her. She'd fall for him. Especially after how close of friends they've become. And he'd hurt her. You know he would. I'm her brother. It's my job to protect her."

She threw her hands up in defense. "I know you love her. I know you want what's best for her….but I can't help but wonder if this isn't as much about her as it is about you."

"What?"

"You're so involved in what she's doing. You're so concerned with keeping her from getting hurt again. Making sure she and Daryl don't fool around. I just…I think you're using it as a way to keep yourself busy. To keep your mind off of Lori and Shane. To keep yourself from thinking about moving on. Because I think…I think you're scared of getting hurt again. Of trusting again."

He looked at her. Really looked at her. And he heard what she was saying, really heard it. Because she'd been sure to say it delicately. To say it in a way that showed she cared about him. That showed she was concerned about him and wanted what's best for him. "You think I should move on?" He asked, quietly.

She gave him another small smile. "I think you have to." She grabbed one of his hands, linking it with hers. "I know it's scary. I know it's hard….but you're only hurting yourself by not doing it. And you're not going to get anywhere from trying to micromanage your sister's life and constantly worrying about what she's doing and who she's doing it with. I may not know her well, but trust me, from what I do know, the woman's tough as nails. She can handler herself."

"Daryl and Carol both told me I needed to move on, too." He let out a laugh. "Granted, they both said it a lot meaner than you did, but they think the same thing."

"They love you, they want what's best for you. Just like I do."

He nodded, feeling a mix of emotions run through him. "I think you're all right."

()()()

When Daryl and Carol got home from work that evening Rick was sitting in the kitchen. There were several pizza boxes on the table and two sodas. He had a smile on his face, and there was a certain peace about him that Daryl hadn't noticed in a long time. "You have a good day or something?" Daryl asked, pulling up a chair at the table.

Rick nodded, still smiling. "I really did. Are you guy's hungry? I just picked these up at the pizzeria downtown."

"Starving." Carol replied with a smile.

"I got your favorite. Pepperoni and pineapple. Well…both of your favorites." He laughed.

"You hate pineapple." Daryl pointed out.

He shrugged. "I can peel them off."

"Wow. You really are in a good mood." Carol chuckled.

"I am. I had…a long talk with Michonne today. And it made me realize some things."

Carol paused, wondering if the woman admitted she actually liked her brother. "Yeah….what kinda things?"

"That it's time for me to move on. To really move on."

Daryl cocked an eyebrow at him. "You listen to Michonne and I been telling you this for months?"

"She put in a way….that made more sense."

Carol reached up to grab them all some plates for the pizza. "I'm just glad you finally realized it. I'm really happy for you, Rick."

"Thanks. Me too. And I can't wait to start moving on. And I plan to start tomorrow…and you're coming with me." He said, slapping Daryl hard on the back.

"What?" Daryl replied, shooting him a curious look.

"I wanna go downtown. I wanna meet some girl. Take her home. Have a night I'll never forget."

"Yeah…I don't think I wanna be there for that." He laughed. "That ain't my kinda three way."

Rick snorted at that. "I don't want you there for that. I just…want you to come because girls just flock to you anyway. You don't even ever have to do anything to get their attention…Besides, it's been what, like way over month since you got laid. I know you've gotta be about to go crazy."

"I...it doesn't really seem that long." He said, looking down at the table and trying to hide his guilty look.

"No buts about it. You're going with me." Rick insisted. "Damn, I figured you'd be excited. At one point you were begging me to go with you so you could teach me how it's done."

"I can't think of anything I'm doing Friday as a reason I can't go….why the fuck can't I think of something I'm doing." He mumbled to himself. He looked away from Rick, turning his attention to Carol. She was standing in front of the cabinet, frozen in place as she watched him. She was still reaching for the plates, but her attention was completely on him.

"It's settled then. We're going downtown tomorrow."

Carol looked at Daryl one last time, waiting to see if he protested or said anything else to Rick, but he didn't. She pulled the plates down and sat them down hard at the table. The china clanging loudly as it touched the wood. Suddenly she wasn't feeling very hungry anymore.


	36. Chapter 36

**(I may have ridden the struggle bus with this one a bit and avoided touching it. Then when I got ready to touch it my computer started to update itself. Anyway, after several forced sit downs over the span of a few days this is what came to be. Thanks for reading and reviewing! Btw, I think my TWD withdrawals started kicking in today. I'm ready for October! Crossing my fingers our favorites are both still alive and counting down the days/weeks/months.)**

If Daryl only knew one thing for sure when he got from work that evening, it was that Carol wasn't happy. Not in the least. And he was pretty sure she hadn't been since last night when Rick first brought up his idea about going out and picking up girls and dragging Daryl along with him.

She'd barely touched any of the pizza that Rick brought home, despite saying she'd been starving when they first walked through the door that evening. She'd only ended up eating one piece of it. And he was almost sure she'd spent more time picking at it and staring at than she had actually eating it. Both he and Rick had asked her if she was okay. She'd told them both she wasn't feeling well all of a sudden and that she couldn't stomach much tonight. She excused herself after she finally finished that piece and said she was going to get a shower and call it an early night.

Rick seemed to accept her answer and went on about his business. Daryl didn't believe her, though. She had a certain look in her eyes, a certain tone in her voice, one that told him something was off. He'd tried to go check on her later. He knocked on her door, but she didn't say anything back. When he finally got into his own bed that night he'd even decided to text her and see if she was up, but she hadn't responded.

The next morning he asked her if she was alright the first chance he got. She'd told him she was and that she saw his message this morning. That she'd been asleep when he sent it last night and when he knocked on her door. He asked her if she was feeling better this morning and she'd given him a small smile and told him yes. But she still had a look in her eye that told him otherwise, and despite her best efforts, he could still tell something wasn't quite right.

She'd been professional at work. Not letting whatever was on her mind seem to overflow into that environment. She hadn't been short with him. She hadn't avoided him. And she'd walked around with a smile like she always would have. But it wasn't her normal, bright smile. It wasn't the one that lit her eyes up and made her face radiate. This one looked feigned. No one else seemed to notice or comment on it. But he did. He couldn't help but notice. He'd learned so much about her in the two weeks he'd come to know her. How to read her moods, the things she liked and didn't like, what could make her smile. It was almost crazy to think he really hadn't known her very long at all, yet he felt like he knew her in some ways better than he knew most people in his life.

And he wasn't an idiot. He knew very well why she was she was upset. Or he knew the root of it anyway, which stemmed around him and Rick going out tonight. But the thing was, he didn't exactly know why that made her upset. He'd tossed different scenarios around in his head last night and all day today. But only three things really made sense to him.

The first was that she didn't like the fact that Rick had told her it wasn't okay for her to hook up, but here he was about to go off and do just that. And that made a lot of sense to Daryl. Knowing who she was. How strong minded she was. Why should be okay with her brother trying to tell her to live her life one way and then going and doing the opposite? Then there was the second thing. The thing that he was almost positive it couldn't be, yet it would fit into the grand scheme of things. And that was that the idea of him going out and hooking up with some girl made her feel just as sick to her stomach as the idea of her with some guy made him feel. That maybe, just maybe she was as hopelessly gone for him as he was for her. But that didn't mesh with what she'd been telling him. It didn't go with the fact that she'd repeatedly told him she wasn't interested in a relationship and didn't think she'd ever be again. So, that brought him to his third conclusion. One that also made a hell of a lot of sense given everything she'd been through lately. And that was that the idea of him going and hooking up with someone else when they'd just slept together again barely two days ago would make her feel insecure. That it'd make her feel like she hadn't been good enough or satisfied him enough. Which damn sure wasn't true.

And the frustrating thing about all of this was that he didn't really wanna go. He had no desire to spend his evening to talking to some random girl when he could be at home hanging out with the one he liked. He didn't wanna go home with some random chick he wanted the one he shared a house with to end up in his bed with him.

But he couldn't exactly get out of going. Not without making one hell of a confession anyway. And what good would that confession do? Rick would flip the fuck out on both of them for sleeping together in the first place. And then Daryl worried it would really kill Rick's momentum that he'd suddenly built up to move on. He'd watched his friend sulk around for far too long and he was glad that he'd finally decided he was ready to get on with his life. Granted, he doubted Rick would actually end up going home with some girl tonight. But maybe he'd get a phone number. Meet someone he could go on a date with. Either way, he felt he owed it to his friend to go with him and help him move on. Especially since he felt like a shitty friend for lying to him and repeatedly breaking a promise to him.

But then again there was the simple fact that if he was right about the other two reasons he'd come up with about why Carol was upset that he'd really be hurting her by going out tonight. And he didn't wanna do that. Not at all. He couldn't stand the idea of knowingly doing something to hurt her feelings. No matter how much he cared about Rick, no matter how good of friends they were, when it came to her everything else seemed to go out the window. It was like he couldn't make decisions anymore without considering how they'd affect her. And that was fucking stupid and he knew it, but he couldn't help it. She was practically all he fucking thought about these days. His life had been so simple before he met her, and maybe he should miss that simplicity, but this girl made him feel like he'd been missing out on something his whole damn life by not knowing her. And as complicated as it was now, as much as he hated he couldn't have her how he wanted her, he was just fucking thankful he had her in some kind of way.

So, as they walked in the house this evening and he watched her back fall on the couch, he simply plopped down beside her. Letting his head hit the back of the couch and turning it so he could face her. "Why don't you come with us tonight?" He asked, not really thinking about what he was saying as the words left his mouth.

She turned to face him and scoffed. "Yeah. I totally wanna watch you and my brother pick up girls all night."

He grinned at her. "You seriously think your brother's gonna pick up a girl he don't know?"

She shrugged her shoulders lightly and didn't return his grin. "I don't know. Stranger things have happened. But I think you won't have a problem finding someone to go home with."

His grin faded and he swallowed hard. "Carol, I don't."

She shook her head and interrupted him. "It's okay. Me and you." She motioned between them. "This, well, it is what it is. You don't owe me anything. You don't have to feel like you do. I'm not here to stop you from living your life. You are who you are. There's nothing wrong with that."

He moved his hand to his face and started rubbing his temples. His heart was pounding in his chest and a voice deep inside of him was screaming at him to just tell her how he felt. To tell her he didn't wanna go because he didn't want anyone else. That he had no fucking clue who he was anymore, but that whoever the fuck he was now was someone who wanted to be with her. But he didn't. The words wouldn't find their way from his head or heart or wherever the fuck they came from to his mouth. "What are you gonna do tonight?" He asked instead.

"Figured I'd call Shawn up. You know, if everyone else is gonna get laid tonight I might as well, too." She replied, dryly.

He felt his stomach twist into knots and he was sure all of the color had left his face or he'd either turned a nice shade of green. He brought his thumb up to the side of his mouth and started chewing at his cuticle. He didn't know what the fuck to say to that, so he didn't say anything at all.

She watched him for a moment, noticing how uncomfortable that statement made him. She let out a small laugh and shook her head at him. A part of her almost wanted to let him keep thinking that, but she wasn't that petty or childish. "I'm kidding. I'm going out with Maggie and Tara. We're gonna get a few drinks."

His hand fell from the side of his lip and he nodded at her, being careful to not let out a sigh of relief in front of her that would give him away even more than the expression he'd just had might have. "Sounds fun. If Tara was still single I'd just tell Rick to take her tonight. She makes a hell of a wingman…errr. Woman….whatever."

She chuckled lightly at that and stood up, looking down at him one last time before she stepped away. "Have fun tonight, Daryl."

"Yeah. You too." He mumbled as he watched her walk away. He continued watching her until he saw he stepr into the bathroom and shut the door behind her. He ran both hands over his face and sighed heavily.

()()()

Maggie had come and picked Carol up before Rick had even gotten home. He'd been in the shower when she left and she'd sent him a text letting him know she'd be home later, but if she wasn't she just ended up staying with Maggie and to worry. He'd sent one back telling her to have fun and to call him if she needed anything. She hadn't replied and Rick had gotten home shortly after. He asked where his sister was and Daryl told updated him. Rick then grabbed a quick shower and two of them started the short walk down town. They stopped at the pool hall first since it was still pretty early and a lot of people wouldn't be out yet. They were in the middle of a close game when Rick looked up from the table and met his friend's eyes.

Rick grabbed his beer and took a long sip of it, still eyeing Daryl closely. "We been friends for a while now. And as far as I know you've always been honest with me. You've been a good friend to me. Especially the last few months."

Daryl twirled his pool stick in his hand nervously and kept his eyes on Rick, because he could tell he wasn't done talking yet.

"Then my sister moved in and you two. You really seemed to hit off, huh. I mean, you're pretty close."

He put the stick down and grabbed his own beer Rick had gotten for him. He took a sip and then gripped it tightly in his hand. "We're friends." He muttered. "She's a cool chick."

Rick nodded and stood up to lean against the wall. He sighed and took a deep breath, preparing himself for what he was about to ask. "I know I asked you this once. Both of you. And I know you both said no. But I just…I need to ask one more time….and whatever you tell me tonight, I'll believe you. I will. But I just need hear it again." He paused for a moment. "Is something going on with you and my sister? Has anything happened between the two of you?"

And there it was. Rick was asking him point blank and he wasn't sure he could lie to the man again. This was his opportunity to be honest. To get out of this night. Then he could shoot a few more games of pool with Rick and he could go home. He could be there when Carol got back and he could spend the rest of his evening with her like he really wanted to do anyway.

He grabbed his beer and chugged the rest of it to hopefully give himself the balls to say it. To be honest about it and hope that things turned out okay. It was like Hershel said, we do all we can sometimes and hope for the best. It was time to man up. He pulled at his bottom lip as he placed the beer down beside him, moving his hands to his side and sucking in a deep breath. "I like your sister. Like I really fucking like her." He admitted quietly. He decided to see how Rick took that part before he admitted they'd slept together. Baby steps here. Baby steps.

Rick froze in place, waiting for Daryl to say something else. Waiting for his expression to change, but it didn't. He stood there, almost stone like, waiting for a response from Rick. And Rick's expression was one of confusion at first, but then it turned to something different completely. One that Daryl probably didn't expect. Rick busted out into hysterical fits of laughter. Laughter so loud the entire pool hall turned and stared at him. "Oh shit. That's a good one." He moved his hands to his knees and bent over to pull in a breath between laughs. "Seriously, you almost had me there for a second. You sounded so serious."

Daryl chewed at his bottom lip as he watched Rick. He had to fight the urge to punch his friend in the face right now. He didn't appreciate being fucking laughed at like that. But then again, why would Rick take that seriously? This is exactly why he hadn't wanted to tell Carol, or anyone for that matter. He'd known that no one would believe him or take him seriously.

"Fuck, I think you almost made me break a rib there." He chuckled some more and grabbed at his side. "Come on. I mean, I could see you sleeping with her, but we both know you better than to think you actually like her. I mean, shit, weren't you just about to get with some girl not too long ago but then her stupid roommate interrupted you?"

"Stupid fucking roommate was your dumbass." He mumbled to himself. "And that girl was your sister, you asshole."

Rick tunred around to face his friend. "What'd you say? I didn't hear you?"

He shook his head. "Nothing. I just said you caught me. I should've known you wouldn't have believed that for long."

Rick picked his beer up again and shook his head, trying not to bust out laughing once more. Then he remembered he hadn't gotten an answer to the question he'd initially asked and he composed himself rather quickly. "But seriously, have you slept with her?"

Daryl looked him dead in the eye as he said his next words. "Nope. I ain't touched her." And this time he couldn't muster a bit built of guilt for lying to him.

()()()

Carol was on her third shot of the night at another bar a few blocks away. It was karaoke night and Tara had decided it was her time to shine. She was currently on stage singing her rendition of, _I like big butts._ Carol and Maggie were watching from their seats at the bar, getting a good laugh in about it.

"There's not enough drinks in the world." Maggie chuckled to herself as she sipped her margarita.

Carol smirked and downed her shot, grimacing as she felt the rough liquid flow down her throat. "I don't know. I think if I have a few more of these you might see me up there before the nights over."

Maggie's brow furrowed and she placed a hand on Carol's shoulder. "Slow down, sweetie. We're here to have a good time. Not pass out."

Carol put her hand up to get the attention of the bar tender. "Yes, can I have one of what she's having?"

The woman nodded at her and went to work fixing her another drink.

"Sorry." She replied, turning her attention back to Maggie. "I'm having a good time. I'm just trying to make sure I keep having one."

Maggie's eyebrow rose at that. "Everything okay?"

She didn't really know Maggie well enough to tell her this, and if she was sober she wouldn't have. But she'd had enough to drink at this point that her lips were a little looser than normal. "Daryl and Rick went out tonight. My idiot brother finally decided to move on and that he needed Daryl's help to pick up a woman. Can you believe that?"

"Wait! What? Daryl's out picking up girls?"

"You say that like he's a fucking virgin, Maggie." She snorted. "He's been with so many girls he doesn't even know an exact number. He couldn't tell you if I made number 25 or 31 for him."

Her voice became quiet and soft as a knowing look spread across her face. "So you did sleep with him. I knew it."

The bartender handed her the drink she'd ordered and she took it, immediately placing her lips over the straw and gulping some down. "Yep. Five times the weekend Rick was gone. Once the other night after my date with Shawn." She cringed when she remembered Shawn was Maggie's brother. "Sorry. Your brother is a nice guy and all. It just, it wasn't there for me."

Maggie chuckled at that. "It's okay. I wasn't really expecting things to work out with you and Shawn anyway."

"I don't do things like that. You know? I don't just sleep with guys I don't date. But Daryl. He's just…I don't know. He's gorgeous and he wanted me and it made me want him. I felt so bad about myself after finding out Ed cheated on me. It didn't help that the woman he got pregnant was a knockout. Blond, huge boobs" She moved her hands in front of her chest to give Maggie an idea of just how big she was talking. "And then there was this guy who I knew had a reputation of being a play boy and getting around. One that I can tell can pretty much pull any girl he wants. And to know he wanted me. It just made me feel good at first. I thought I'd sleep with him once and I'd feel better about myself and that'd be it."

"But it wasn't." Maggie finished for her.

"No. It wasn't." She sighed. "We slept together again that night and fell asleep in bed with him. I woke up and he an arm around me. It freaked me out a little honestly and I figured if he woke up like that it'd freak him out to. I slipped out of his room and was worried things would be weird that morning, but they weren't. And we had this great day the next day and then we kinda had sex at the athletic complex." She felt herself turn beet red and her eyes grew wide. "I swear I don't normally do things like that either."

The other woman put her hands up. "No judgement. I once slept with Glenn in the back of the pizzeria."

She choked back a laugh and she had to admit that made her feel slightly better admitting that to her. "I just…I couldn't keep my hands off him that weekend. I'm really attracted to him. I mean, we have this amazing chemistry. My God, I swear it's like nothing else I've ever experienced."

Maggie smiled, fondly remembering thinking the same thing she first got with Glenn.

"But it's just….it's more than that, too. I mean. I like being around him. I like talking to him. And I know it's crazy. I know I haven't known him very long, but I feel like he knows me better than anyone. I feel like I know him better than anyone else knows him."

"That's because you probably do." She interrupted. "Daryl isn't exactly the most open person in the world. He connected with you, he's comfortable with you. I can even see that."

"Yeah. Well, I'm pretty sure he's gonna be conneting with someone else tonight."

She grimaced and gave her a sympthatic look. "Maybe not. I can't really see Rick going home with someone he doesn't know. That's not your brother. Besides, I think there's something there between him and Michonne. Maybe they got there and Rick decided what a bad idea this was and they both went home."

She sipped some more of her drink. "Yeah. I thought that, too. But he made it sound like this was all Michonne's idea and he seemed pretty excited about it all."

"I just can't see Michonne telling him to do that."

She just shrugged. "I couldn't either, but I'm telling you, that's what he made it sound like. So that's what he took away from whatever she told him."

Maggie looked down at her phone and contemplated calling her friend, but she knew she'd gone home for the weekend. It was her mom's birthday and she didn't wanna interrupt a family gathering. Especially with news she thought might upset her. "Men are idiots sometimes." She mumbled.

"Can't argue that."

Maggie looked up, noticing that Tara was about to finish the song. She had a feeling Carol wasn't going to be as open once the other girl returned to the table, and she had a burning question for the woman. One she wanted to know the answer to right now. She reached over and grabbed Carol's arm softly. "You like him don't you?" She said it more as a statement that a question, because after seeing how upset she was at the prospect of him hooking up with another girl she pretty much had her confirmation. She was just curious if the woman was finally ready to admit it to herself yet.

"I do not like him." She spat. "We're just friends who slept together a few times. That's all."

"But you don't want him to sleep with anyone else?" She countered.

"No I don't." She admitted.

"Why?"

"I might be interested in sleeping with him again at some point in the near future." She muttered.

"So, let me get this straight? You don't like him like that, but you wanna fuck him and you don't want him to fuck anyone else? And you like talking to him and hanging out with him and you admit you two have amazing chemistry and that this is different than just hooking up."

She simply nodded. "Yes. I'm glad you understand."

She gave her a small smile. "Oh honey, I understand. I do. More than you know. But I don't think you do."

"Maggie." She shot her a stern look. "I'm not going there with him. I can't. He's not that guy. And even if he was someone different. If he wasn't currently out on the prowl with my brother. That doesn't mean I would trust him. I just can't. Okay?"

"Okay." She relented as she looked up and saw Tara bowing to her audience as the song ended. "But you can't hold him accountable for something he didn't do. It's not fair to you and it isn't fair to him. Think about that tonight when he comes home and you find out he hasn't touched someone else."

()()()

"Can we get in on the game?" A female voice asked.

Daryl was about to take his shot when he glanced up. He noticed who the girl was immediately. She'd worked with him at the clinic and had quit right after Carol moved here. In fact, it was the girl she'd actually ended up replacing at work.

"You're Jessie, right?" Rick smiled.

"I am." She said, returning his smile. "Rick? Right?"

His eyes lit up at the fact this woman had somehow remembered his name despite only meeting her a handful of times before when he'd come in the clinic to drop something by to Daryl. "Yeah, that's right." He looked over at Daryl who was still bent over the table glaring at the two of them. "I don't mind if you join us. Do you?"

He'd never liked the girl much to begin with when he worked with her, but Rick seemed to have his sights on her for the night. And though he was still pissed that Rick had made him feel like an idiot when he tried to be honest with him, he wasn't going to be that low down and ruin his chances with her. "Yeah, whatever." He mumbled, moving his eyes back to the table and sinking the shot.

"Great!" She squealed. "I'll go tell my friend. She's in the restroom, but she'll be thrilled. She's had her eye on you for a while." She looked over at Daryl and gave him a wink.

Rick watched the woman walked away and smirked smugly. "Looks like we're both getting lucky tonight."

"Who the fuck's her friend?" He asked, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Has that ever really mattered to you before? She sounds into you and it's been forever for you. I'm surprised you're not humping someone's leg by now." Rick scratched his head. "In fact, I haven't seen you really look at any girls tonight."

He scanned the room quickly, looking for the first attractive girl he could find. He noticed a blond bending over a table a few feet away from them and pointed. "I been looking at her the last ten minutes. I just been trying to wait for you find someone before I made a move on someone."

Rick cocked an eyebrow at him as he watched her a man who was well over six feet tall step up from a bar stool and move beside her and place a kiss on her cheek. "That girl with the boyfriend? You were gonna go make a move on her?"

He looked the man up and down and shrugged. "She was looking at me, too. I could take him."

Rick didn't know about all that. The dude was huge and looked like he could bench press the two of them at the same time. "Why don't you just stick with the girl Jessie has with her. I don't feel like scraping your ass off the floor."

Daryl rolled his eyes. "Just take your fucking shot."

Rick shook his head and moved to the table, scouting out the best shot to take. When he leaned in to take the shot he happened to glance up and notice Jessie walking back with another girl, he looked over at Daryl and mouthed a wow.

Daryl cocked an eyebrow and moved his attention to the direction Rick was staring in. "You gotta be fucking kidding me." He mumbled to himself once he noticed who was with her.

Jessie walked up to the pool table with her friend in tow behind her. "Rick, this is Rosita. Rosita, this is Daryl's roommate and best friend, Rick."

"Nice to meet you.

"It's very nice to meet you, too." He said, looking her up and down and extending his hand to her.

"And you two already know each other." She giggled, nodding towards Daryl.

Rick looked over at him and raised his eyebrows.

"We got a class together." He murmured, downing the rest of his newest beer as he watched the seductive look she was shooting him. He supposed she hadn't taken the message when he bailed out on her invitation the other night. Either that or she was a hell of a lot like him when he got turned down. She felt more motivated by a challenge. And by the look she was giving him he'd bet anything he had that it was the second one.

 **(As you're getting ready to pummel me for not making this longer or putting more in here or getting to the goods, just let me say that this story is about the journey. So buckle up and enjoy the rest of the ride. I'll update again this weekend. Probably Sunday evening. I've got a much better idea of what I want to happen out of this current situation now. I know most of you are patiently waiting and enjoying this, but sometimes I find myself reflecting over my work and wondering how in the hell I've managed to include so many tiny details into this story. And as I reflect, I stop and wonder what my readers have to be thinking at that point and therefore all of these author notes are born. But seriously, I'm really into this one myself. This story is in essentially my baby at the moment.)**


	37. Chapter 37

**(I'm exhausted and ready for my head to hit my pillow, but I said I was going to update tonight and I am trying to stick to my word. Here's the next one. Thanks for reading and reviewing. )**

Daryl sipped the rest of his beer while Rick walked to the bar to grab some more drinks for everyone. Jessie and Rosita were a few feet away talking quietly to one another. The blond one was giggling to herself, and Daryl could tell she was already fast approaching her limit for the night. She'd grown quite touchy with Grimes. Running her hand up and down his arm any chance she got, leaning into him whenever she laughed, brushing her hand against his thigh a few times as they'd sat by one another while they were waiting on Daryl or Rosita to take their shot at the pool table.

And Rick seemed to be enjoying the attention from the woman. Daryl was surprised the man's jaw didn't hurt from how much he'd been grinning tonight. And much to Daryl's surprise, the man had even gotten a little flirty back with her. He actually didn't think that Rick would end up going home with anyone, but the way things looked right now it was pretty much a sure thing. He knew that look women gave when they'd made up their mind that they were going to sleep with a man, he'd seen it plenty of times, and Jessie was definitely giving Rick that look.

But he could tell that Rick was still a little nervous about it. He would twirl his thumbs when he was sitting still, or he'd shake his leg, and he'd moved on from drinking beer to taking shots of liquor about an hour ago. Daryl assumed it was to help take the edge off and push away any apprehensions the man might have about actually following through with this in the end.

Then there was Rosita, who'd pretty much done all of the things Jessie had been doing to garner Rick's attention and interest, except she was doing them to him. She'd ran her fingers across his muscled arms and commented on how impressed she was with them. When she'd gone to stand up at one point she'd used his leg to help push herself up, slowly running her hands up and down his thigh before pulling away. Then there was the fucking fact that every time talked to him she felt the need to lean in to him, basically trying to press her lips against his ears as she spoke. Not to mention that she had a low cut shirt on and she made sure anytime she bent over the table to take a shot she was exposing her cleavage to him.

"I got the drinks." Rick said, as he approached the others. Bringing Daryl from his current thoughts.

Jessie smiled and walked over to Rick, taking the mixed drink he'd brought her. She leaned into him and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Thank you for buying this for me."

Rosita walked up to Rick and grabbed the drink she wanted. She then turned and strutted towards Daryl, walking up to him with a smile and stopping in front of him. His bangs were hanging in his eyes and she reached up to brush them back. "Thanks for getting this for me." She leaned into him.

"I didn't." He muttered as he saw her start to lean in. "Rick did. Thank him."

She paused and shifted uncomfortably, straightening herself up and turning to look at Rick. She gave an awkward, forced smile. "Thanks for the drink. I just assumed Daryl would've taken care of mine for me."

"You're welcome. It was no problem. It's my pleasure to get to buy drinks for two pretty girls." He smiled at her and when she turned around he shot Daryl a hard look.

Daryl ignored Rick's look and walked up to his friend, taking the beer he'd asked him to grab for him. "You got my card?"

Rick slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled Daryl's card out, shoving it into his hand. He leaned in close to him as he passed the card back. "You couldn't have just acted like you paid for it?"

He just shrugged, reaching for his wallet so he could put the card up. "But I didn't pay for it. I ain't a liar."

"So." Jessie interrupted before Rick could mumbled something else only Daryl could hear. "Rosita and I were talking a few minutes ago and we think it'd be really fun to walk over to the club. We've had fun shooting pool, but uh, we'd like something where we could be a little closer to you two. Maybe do something a little more physical." She gave a suggestive smirk as she ran her lips over the straw of her drink and waited for the men's response.

"I think that's a great idea. Rick answered for them. "We'd love to do something…a little more physical." He returned the smirk Jessie was giving him, letting his eyes sweep over her as he tossed back his shot.

()()()

Carol, Maggie and Tara had just stepped out of the karaoke bar and onto the street in search of somewhere else to go. Carol had a few more drinks and she was feeling really good at this point. In fact she'd felt so good that she ended up singing _Ice Ice Baby_ with Tara. They'd tried to pull Maggie on stage with them, but she'd chuckled and told them no way. When they got done the girls all had a seat and order a few more drinks. When _Wannabe_ by Spice Girls was the song that was up Maggie finally caved and got on stage with the other two. They'd been her favorite band when she was in grade school and she couldn't resist by that point. Although, it probably didn't hurt that she'd taken some shots by that point and was starting to feel it a bit herself.

"I wish I had that on video." Tara snickered as they made their way down the sidewalk downtown. "Glenn would die laughing."

"I'd just play it over and over again at on the TV in the lobby." Carol chuckled.

"Yeah." Maggie snorted. "Greene Animal Clinic Girls Gone Wild. Daddy would love that."

"Oh, hush. That was tame and you know it. We were just singing and dancing. Nothing wrong with that."

Maggie stopped walking and raised her eyebrows at them. "Tara flipped the crowd off once the song was over and said do you like that bitches?"

Tara just snickered some more. "That one old guy told us to shut up. Fuck him. Okay, just fuck him."

"He said show us your boobs. Not shut up." Carol laughed.

"Oh." Tara shrugged. "Well, whatever. These are my boobs. Not his. My boobs. And Denise's. Hers too. But creepy old dudes definitely don't get to see them."

Maggie reached up and gave her own a squeeze. "Hey. I hear you. These are for Glenn's eyes only."

"I guess Carol could have taken one for the team." Tara joked, nudging her in the shoulder.

"Oh no. No way. My girls are staying in my bra right where they belong."

"Right. Until you get home tonight and show them to Daryl." Tara snorted.

Carol stopped walking and felt her blood run cold. She shot Maggie a stern look, wondering if she'd told Tara about her earlier admission when she'd stepped away to the bathroom. She'd opened up to her earlier because she felt like she could trust her. Well okay, because she was drunk mainly, but she still felt like Maggie would respect her confidence. "Why would think that?" She asked Tara, trying to keep her voice guarded, but letting her tone grow more serious.

"Because you live with him and you two had all this mad sexual tension. I mean, you guys practically stare at each other every chance you get at work. Then Rick went away for the weekend and you two were alone. I mean, something had to have happened then. And this is Daryl, so I'm assuming the rumors are true and he was really good. So why wouldn't you keep going to the same pond if the fish are biting good?"

Maggie's face grew apologetic as she looked over at Carol and mouthed out I didn't say anything, I swear.

Carol just nodded at Maggie and bit her bottom lip as she turned her attention back to Tara. "I wouldn't know how the fish are biting so I don't have any reason to go to that pond." She replied simply. "Daryl and I are friends. That's it."

"If you say so." Tara laughed.

"Hey, why don't we go to Oasis?" Maggie interrupted, trying to divert the attention off anything Carol and Daryl related. "Shawn's band is playing. I can get us in for free."

"Sounds good to me." Carol agreed.

"I'm down."

()()()

The club was pretty packed, but that wasn't surprising given the fact that it was a Friday night and being as late as it was. Daryl had always preferred bars to clubs when picking up women for the most part. There was usually enough space at a bar he didn't have to be next to anyone he wasn't interested in being next to. But at the club, well that wasn't the case at all. The floor was usually packed and the majority of people were usually drunk off of their asses and wound up accidently crashing into you at some point. Plus the lines to take a piss were usually ten minutes long.

He wasn't thrilled to be here to say the least. He hadn't wanted to come out tonight at all really, and he damn sure hadn't wanted to be dragged somewhere he'd have to be around an unlimited amount of people. But Rick had given him a look as they walked out of the pool hall. One that said seemed to say don't screw this up for me, I need this and you owe me. So he hadn't protested, he'd simply gone along with the plan. After all, how many times had Rick gone out with him so he could get laid? And didn't he kinda owe him more than Rick knew?

But right then he was wishing he'd have put up more of a fight. Because as much as he'd tried to ignore Rosita's efforts earlier. As much as he'd tried to brush off any touch she'd given him and not pay attention to it, it was currently damn near impossible. At the moment, she was currently grinding up against him as the DJ played what Merle would refer to as baby making music. And it was fucking hard to ignore an attractive woman moving against your dick. Especially one who knew how to move her hips.

He bit his bottom lip hard and scanned the dark room. He was trying to distract himself, trying hard to think about anything else and fight every natural instinct that was running through his body right now. His eyes landed a few feet away where he spotted Rick and Jessie. The two were in a heated make out session and their hands were exploring one another's bodies rapidly. If there was any doubt that Rick was going to sleep with her tonight, seeing that pretty much expelled that. Hell, he wouldn't be surprised if Rick pulled a page out of his book and ended up fucking the bitch in the alley at this point.

He felt Rosita press herself further against him and his attention was suddenly diverted away from the sight in front of him and to the woman pressed against his crotch. He let out a frustrated groan. He should be enjoying this, he should be whipping her around at this point and shoving his tongue down her throat, his hands should be roaming all over her body. And there was a part of him that wanted to do that right now. Granted that part of him was located on the lower half of his body, but it was an important part, and the constant touching throughout the night and the current situation of her ass rubbing up against him was growing harder and harder to ignore. He felt his pants tighten and he was sure she could feel it as close as she was to him. As much as he liked Carol, as guilty as he knew he'd feel if anything happened, he was still a heterosexual man. And when an attractive woman is moving against you like that your body is naturally going to respond.

Rosita turned around and gave him a seductive grin as she felt his budding erection press against her. "You make a girl work pretty hard to get laid. You know that?" She reached down with one hand and ran her hand over the front of his pants. "But I'm sure the juice is gonna be worth the squeeze." She reached up with her other hand and pulled his face to hers, kissing him demandingly.

It was like his mind stopped working momentarily when she'd turned around and rubbed his dick. He'd been fighting this all night, he'd tried really hard to act like he wasn't interested in her. Hell, he'd refused to dance with her when they first got to the club, but Rick had shot him another one of those looks and he'd felt guilty and ended up on the dance floor anyway. The girl either couldn't take a hint or she'd just refused to give up. And Rick was going to go home with Jessie anyway at this point, wouldn't someone have to entertain her friend to make sure that happened?

And then she'd pulled his face to hers and she started kissing him. And he hadn't stopped her. He'd let her, and he'd kissed her back at first. Letting his body take control and give into impulse. But that was short lived, because as her tongue swirled with his and he felt her hands move under his shirt he started thinking about how different her touch felt. How different her kiss felt. He thought about Carol and how kissing her shot waves of electricity throughout his body. He thought about how the way his skin broke out in goosebumps at her touch. About how seeing her smile made his stomach do little flips. And then he thought about how awful he'd feel if she was with someone doing the same exact thing right now. How hurt she'd sounded at the idea of him with some other girl earlier, despite the fact that she'd told him he didn't owe her anything. That he didn't have to stop living his life for her. And maybe he didn't have to, but he wanted to. He wouldn't forgive himself if he let this happen. Hell, he wasn't sure he'd forgive himself for letting it get to this point.

He snatched his lips away from hers and moved his hands to her hips to push her off of him. "I gotta….I gotta go smoke." He stammered out, bolting for the exit. Once he reached the outside he pulled his cigarettes from his pocket and pulled one to his lips. He took a seat on the edge of the side walk and pulled his lighter out. Once it was lit and he pressed it to his lips he ran his hands through his hair and hung his head. Letting out a loud sigh as his chin connected with his chest.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Rick barked, walking up behind him.

"Ain't nothing fucking wrong with me. I just needed a cigarette." He snapped, picking his head up and turning to look at Rick.

"You were in the middle of making out with a hot girl and you just pushed her off of you for a cigarette. Who the fuck does that?"

He leapt to his feet, taking the cigarette in one hand and throwing them both in the air. "I can't fucking sleep with her, Rick. I just can't."

"Why the hell not?"

He thought back to how Rick had laughed at him earlier when he'd tried to tell him how he felt about Carol. He didn't wanna go through that again. "I just…I can't. Alright?"

"No. Not alright. I've got a real shot here with Jessie and she's gonna be too busy consoling her friend for anything to happen. So I wanna know a reason and it better be a damn good one."

"You wanna know? You really wanna fucking know?" He shouted.

"Yeah. I do."

He wasn't quite sure why he chose the next words to be the ones that left his mouth, but at the time it was the best thing that he could think of that would be a legitimate reason. "I….I…I've got fucking STD."

Rick's angry demeanor quickly changed to one of confusion and a look of slight disgust. "You have a what?"

"You heard me." He barked, unwilling to yell that out for anyone to hear again. He placed his hands on hips and let his head fall. He couldn't believe he'd lied about something this big. It was the second huge lie he'd told his best friend tonight.

"But….I thought…I thought you used condoms."

He shrugged. "I do. Ain't nothing a 100% in this world. It even says something on the label about not being 100% reliable.

Rick's face dropped. "Really?"

Daryl just nodded. He wasn't even really sure it did, but why the fuck not keep going with the lies at this point.

"So that's why you haven't been going out lately? That's why you didn't really pay her any attention tonight?"

"Yep. That's why."

"Well…what is it?" He asked curiously.

"Huh?"

"You know? Which one is it?"

Daryl racked his brain, remembering his own brother had actually had one during high school. "The clap."

"Gonorrhea?" Rick yelled.

Daryl watched as a few people walking down the street stopped to stare at him and he wanted to go crawl in fucking hole. After punching Rick in the face first of course. "Say it louder why don't you?"

"Sorry." Rick whispered. He looked at the ground and was silent for a minute. "Did you get it from those two exchange students you had the three way with? Or was it the girl in the alley?"

Oh fuck. Only Rick would sit here and ask a million questions while there was a girl ready and willing to fuck him inside. "I don't know." He replied, sounding annoyed. "It can be asymptomatic for a while in guys. And I don't exactly keep in contact with the people I fuck around with. Ain't no way for me to know really."

Rick just nodded. "What were your symptoms?"

"Dude. Shut up. Please. I don't wanna talk about this anymore"

Just then Jessie walked up and touched Rick's shoulder. Rosita was beside her looking quite upset. "I think I'm gonna go to the house."

Rick's brow furrowed as frown creased his face. "Oh. Okay. I uh. I had a nice time tonight."

She gave him a small smile. "I did, too. And uh, you're more than welcome to come back to my place if you want. I'm gonna walk Rosita home, but I don't live far from her place."

Rick looked back to Daryl.

He just nodded at Rick, letting him know he didn't need some type of moral support for his non-existent STD. "I'll see you tomorrow. Y'all uh, have a good night." He offered to Jessie and Rosita. He locked eyes with Rosita. "I'm sorry tonight didn't go how you wanted. I just can't. Ain't nothing against you." She glared at him, and he was sure his apology wasn't exactly what she'd wanted to hear, but he didn't care. He just wanted to get home. He hoped Carol was still awake when he got there. Or that she'd come home at all since she'd mentioned staying with Maggie.

()()()

As he made the short trek home he found himself glad he'd stuck to beer. He never got as drunk off beer as he did liquor and he was sure he'd have been stumbling at this point if he'd been mixing liquor with it. He noticed the front door wasn't unlocked as he went to open it, which he found slightly odd. He was almost sure he'd locked it on the way out.

He looked around the living room, searching for a sign that Carol had made it home already. He didn't see her anywhere and he wondered if she was still out or if she'd even make it home. He was about to pull out his phone and call her, but then he heard the toilet flush. The corner of his lip turned up as he headed for the hallway that lead to their bedrooms and the bathroom. The smile playing at the edge of his lips quickly turned into a frown as he saw who stepped out from behind the bathroom door. "The fuck are you doing here?" He growled, staring Shawn up and down and looking at him like a tiger that was about to pounce on his prey.

Shawn cocked an eyebrow at him, noticing how angry Daryl's voice sounded. "Carol, Maggie and Tara came to watch the band play.

"Yeah, I don't see Maggie or Tara here." He barked.

"Yeah. They went home." He laughed. "Maggie wanted to leave when Glenn got off work and Tara had left before that when her girlfriend came to pick her up. Carol didn't wanna go and Maggie asked me to make sure she got home safe. She'd been drinking a lot and Maggie said she seemed a little upset about something." He watched Daryl closely, not sure why the dude seemed so pissy with him. "What's your problem?"

"Nothing." He mumbled, guilt suddenly consuming him. His first though was that Shawn had come back here and something had happened between the two of them. Especially after the comment she'd made earlier. But he didn't have a right to be mad if he did. Fuck, some girl had been feeling all over him earlier and he'd let her. He'd even let her kiss him and he'd kissed her back. "Where's she at?" He asked, softly this time.

"She's on the porch. She went to your room and grabbed a pack of cigarettes. I was just leaving." He pointed to the door. "I just had to take a piss first."

Daryl nodded, looking down and chewing the side of his thumb. "Thanks for making sure she got home safe."

"Yeah. No problem. I'll uh. I'll see you later." He gave a small wave and headed for the front door.

Daryl watched him walk away and then went and locked the door behind him. He slowly made his way to the back porch. "Hey." He said quietly as he stepped on the porch.

"Daryl?" Carol asked, almost as if she didn't believe it was really him. She practically jumped to her feet and when she did she swayed.

He watched her as she almost fell and quickly leapt forward and grabbed her hips to steady her. "You alright?" He kept his hands on her, worried she'd fall if he let go. He looked at her eyes, they were glassy and slightly more squinted than normal.

She brought the cigarette to her lips and nodded. "I'm a little drunk." She laughed.

"I can see that." He replied with a small laugh of his own. "Why don't we go inside?"

She nodded again and dropped the cigarette, trying to stomp it out, but stumbling in the process. If he wasn't still holding her she'd have probably fallen down the steps.

"I got it." He moved his foot to stomp it out and then he carefully led her inside, keeping a hand around her waist to make sure she stayed steady.

He walked them both over to the couch and when they were both sitting down she looked up at him curiously. Her speech slightly slurred. "Where's Rick?"

He rubbed the back of his neck. He wasn't sure how she was going to feel about this. "He uh. He went home with some girl."

Her mouth dropped and her squinted eyes grew wide. "No he didn't."

"Yeah. He kinda did."

She covered her mouth and shook her head. "Oh no. Michonne. Poor Michonne."

"What?" He asked confused.

She shook her head again. This time when she spoke she sounded more sober. "Michonne likes Rick. I mean, she hasn't come out and said it. But I know she does. Maggie thinks so, too. This is gonna hurt her. I didn't think he'd actually do it. I didn't think he'd be able to go home with someone he didn't know."

"Me either." He admitted. And as far as the Michonne thing went, he thought she liked him, too. He had for a while. "Maybe it won't be so bad." He offered. "They ain't dating."

"Maybe not. But it's still gonna hurt her. She cares a lot about him, Daryl. I'm telling you, she really does. When you like someone like that, it hurts to think of them with someone else. Even if you aren't with them." She admitted quietly.

He swallowed hard. "Yeah. It does."

She'd been looking down, but quickly popped her head up to look at him. "So what? You already got yours and left?"

Her voice was calm, but there was a resentfulness in it. One that told him she'd have been really upset if he'd actually done more than he did. And he was pretty sure she was still gonna be upset about what he had done. "I didn't sleep with no one." He replied truthfully.

She scoffed at him. "Yeah. Okay."

He moved his hand to her face, gently rubbing her chin with his thumb. "I didn't have sex with anyone." He repeated, slower and softer this time, looking her square in the eyes as he said it.

She held his gaze, searching for any hint that he was lying. But he sounded so sincere and she wanted to believe it was true. Because she damn sure didn't wanna think about it not being true.

He swallowed hard again as her eyes bore into his. He wanted to be completely honest with her. He wanted her to never have a reason to doubt what he said. "There was a girl." He cleared his throat. "She uh, she was friends with the girl Rick got with. And I got a class with her. I know her. Not well, but I know who she is."

She watched him carefully as he spoke, her stomach slowly sinking with each word as she waited for him to make a confession. One she was sure was going to hurt her far more than it should.

"I could've slept with her." He admitted, not moving his hand from her chin as he spoke. "She tried to get with me all night. And I ignored her most the night. Then we, uh, we went to the club…and she was dancing on me. Moving against me….and uh, she kissed me….I kissed her back"

She felt her eyes start to sting at that admission and blinked back tears. She tugged at her bottom lip and pulled away from him.

"Let me finish." He took reached out and turned her face to his. "Please?"

She nodded, but looked down, refusing to look at him.

"I only kissed her back for a second. I swear. Then I stopped. I couldn't do it. I didn't want to. Not really."

She pursed her lips and looked up at him again. "Why?"

He moved his hand from the side of her face to her neck, brushing his thumb against her skin as it traveled. He held her gaze, looking deep into her eyes as he thought about his next move. He slowly leaned in, waiting for her to stop him, to pull away from him, to slap him. But she didn't. And he slowly moved his lips to hers, feeling that spark that he always felt when he kissed her. No matter how small the kiss was. And when he pulled away, he met her eyes again. "Because she ain't who I want."

 **(I'm pretty sure I slightly hate me for having him kiss Rosita. I've got my reasons, though.)**


	38. Chapter 38

**You know, I had a feeling when I chose to include that club scene that I might upset some people who were reading the story. And I thought about removing it and re-writing it. I really did. And I actually tried to. Because even as the person writing it, it struck a nerve with me. It made me uncomfortable. But in the end I decided to keep it, and there's a reason for that which I hope you'll understand later. But if you choose to stop reading after that point, that's your choice. I hope you'll choose to read something else from me in the future or maybe give this another chance and see if it picked back up in a direction you like. If not, then I'm glad you were able to enjoy it for a while and thanks for reading.**

 **Thank you to everyone reading and special thanks for those of you who take the time to drop me a review.**

He was staring her in the eyes as that sentence left his mouth. His voice sounded shaky and unsure, and she was almost sure she could feel his hand trembling as it rested on her neck. _She ain't who I want._ That's what he'd said. And as he was staring at her she kept turning that statement over and over again in her mind. Trying to figure out exactly what it meant. And in that moment she really wished she hadn't had as much to drink tonight as she did, because she was almost sure she would be able to process what he was trying to tell her a hell of a lot easier if her mind was clearer. "Daryl." She paused and swallowed hard, not wanting to sound presumptuous and trying to make sure her words came out right. "Who do you want?"

He circled his thumb right below her jawline, never breaking his gaze from hers. Maybe it was a good thing he'd had a few beers tonight. He wasn't sure he'd be able to do this sober. Hell he wasn't sure he was going to be able to do this now. But she was looking at him, staring at him expectantly with those gorgeous blue eyes of hers, and he was just thankful she hadn't told him to leave. To get the hell away from her after his admission. He felt like that's what he deserved. They weren't together, but letting things get to that point at all made him feel like he cheated on her. Like he'd broken an unspoken promise between the two of them.

And he hadn't intended to. He really hadn't. When she'd tried to get with him days ago at the pool hall he'd easily been able to slip away from her advances. He was free to leave at that point. Nothing was keeping him there around her like it was earlier tonight. He'd felt like he'd had to stay with Rick. He'd felt like he had to keep up that rouse in order to keep suspicions at bay and to help Rick when it came to Jessie. Then things had gotten out of hand and his old nature reared its ugly head. Who he'd been for the longest time came out, even if it was only for the briefest moment. But it didn't matter how long it happened. The fact of thei matter was that it did happen. That he'd let it happen. And he felt like a complete and utter asshole for it.

He'd been told his entire life he was a fuck up. That he couldn't do anything right. And he'd spent most of his life trying to disprove that. Trying to work hard and make something of himself to show his old man that he was something. That the son bitch was wrong and he was going places. But right now, he felt like the old man was right. He knew that no matter what he said now, it may be too late to ever have a chance with her. Assuming he remotely had one to begin with, which he highly doubted.

But he couldn't keep it to himself any longer either. Not after everything that happened. Not after seeing how hurt she looked about the fact that he'd kissed someone else. He had to tell her. And he should have before he left tonight. He'd wanted to on the couch, but he'd been too scared. And he was tired of being scared. He was tired of hurting them both by keeping this to himself.

He took a deep breath and prepared for the worst, fully expecting the next several seconds to be the longest of his life. "I want you." He barely got the words out above a whisper, but he'd managed to speak them. To breathe life to them. And it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off of him as the words left him.

She cocked her head at him, still unsure of what those words really meant. Did he want to sleep with her instead of the girl he'd met downtown? She supposed that might make sense. He'd repeatedly told her that she was the best he'd ever had. Maybe the kiss with the other girl had been bad and he'd decided that he was still in the mood and would rather come home and get some from her instead. Did he really think she'd go for that if it was the case? That she was just some back up booty call for him? But then again, Shawn had kissed her and she'd come home and slept with Daryl that same night. Granted, she hadn't wanted to kiss Shawn, but she'd let him take her out on a date. She'd spent an evening with him and he'd ended up kissing her and she still came home and slept with another man. And Daryl knew that. Maybe he thought it was the same thing.

And would she sleep with him again? Yeah, she would. She'd even admitted to Maggie she wanted it to happen again. But she wasn't sure she wanted it to happen now. Not after he admitted that his tongue had willingly been in some other girl's mouth earlier. She felt a chill course through her body thinking about it and she felt sick to her stomach.

But the thing that gave her pause was the fact that he stopped it. And that he'd told her he'd tried to ignore this girl the majority of the night. Then there was the fact that he'd came here and told her about it. To her face no less. If he'd wanted to he could have lied to her. He could have told her that there wasn't a girl and he could have tried to get with her anyway if that was really his angle. Sure, Rick might have told her the truth tomorrow, but she wouldn't have known the truth tonight and he could have just gotten what he wanted.

And then there was the fact that she knew he actually didn't have to tell her anyway. He didn't owe it to her to disclose his personal life. She'd even told him as much earlier. They weren't together. They weren't a couple. And she'd been sure to tell him on several occasion she didn't want them to be. As much as she hated the idea of him with someone else, she realistically knew he had a right to get with whoever he pleased. Yet, he felt compelled to sit here and defend his almost hook up to her. Ed hadn't ever even felt compelled to tell her he slept with someone else. He'd even tried to deny it when his secretary came to her and told her she was pregnant with Ed's child.

This whole thing was enough to make her head spin while she was sober, let alone the state she was currently in. "You want me?" She asked him carefully, watching his chest heave rapidly as he watched her. Before he could even respond she was on him, kissing him hard. She wasn't exactly sure why she'd done it. Maybe it was the alcohol. Maybe it was the fact that she felt territorial knowing he'd kissed someone else and she felt like she had to one up them, maybe it was because despite the fact that his actions hurt her, she respected the fact that he'd stopped it from going farther and actually being up front with her about it. But whatever it was that was driving it, she couldn't force herself to stop it.

Of all the things he'd been expecting, her crashing her lips against his hadn't been one of them. To say that it had taken him by surprise would be a complete understatement. But here she was, her lips dancing madly against his own. She practically lunged herself over him, straddling herself over his hips, bucking against him. She ran one hand through his hair as the other forcefully snatched at the buttons on his black, pin stripped dress shirt. He hadn't even had time to think as all this started happening. And though he knew he should have pushed her off of him and made sure they were both on the same page about what he meant, he didn't. At least not at first. Instead, he gave into her. Letting his hands roam over her as she took control.

She felt him let out a moan against her lips as she bucked further into him and a satisfied smirk spread across her face. Maybe more of this was some sort of scenario where she wanted to know he desired her more than the girl that had tried to get with him earlier. Maybe she did need to feel superior to whoever she was and maybe having sex with him after knowing her turned her down would solidify that. "You want me?" She murmured between kissed. "You wanna fuck me? You wanted me instead because I was better? Is that it?"

And that was it all it took to bring him back down to reality. To remind him of why they were having this talk in the first place. That was the clarity he needed to realize she'd thought he meant sex when he said he wanted her. She didn't realize he wanted all of her. Every fucking part of her. He stopped what he was doing and pushed her away, jerking his head to the side to free his lips from hers. "Carol….Stop….You…You gotta stop." He got out breathlessly.

She froze in place, slowly pulling her hands from his hair and letting her head fall to her chest. She felt like a giant fucking tool. She thought that's what he'd wanted her to do. That's what he'd said wasn't it? "You don't…you don't wanna have sex with me?" She stammered out quietly.

"No." He shot out. And when he saw he heard her choke back a sound that sounded almost tearful he threw his head back in frustration with himself. "I mean, yes. Fuck, yeah I do. But that ain't….that ain't what I meant when I said I wanted you."

She slowly forced her up so she could meet his gaze. Her heart hammering in her chest. "What are you talking about?"

"Damn it, I'm trying to say…trying to say that I like you." He shoved his hands through his hair and wished he didn't have a fucking raging boner as he said this. "I like you. I like you a lot. You're all I fucking think about all the damn time. When you kiss me I feel like some damn body shocked the hell out of me. And you make my stomach do these weird fucking flip flops. And sometimes if I'm near you the hair on the back of my neck stands up and I get goosebumps…. And it fucking scares the hell out me, Carol. Because I ain't never felt this way about no one before…and I don't…I don't think you feel the same way. Especially not after what I almost did tonight."

She felt like the air had almost been knocked clean out of her at his admission. Her stomach was coiling in knots and she tried to tell herself he was joking, that he wasn't being serious, but she knew damn well this wasn't a joke. She could tell by the look in his eye that he meant what he said. It was one that was painful, but full of relief as the words spewed from his mouth. And he was speaking fast and erratically, almost as if he was hoping she wouldn't really be able to make out what he was saying. But she'd been able to, she'd heard every single damn word. "You…You like me? Like, you like me, like me?"

He just nodded at her. He'd just spilled his guts and he wasn't sure he could say anything else at this point.

"How long?"

He sighed. So much for not being able to keep talking he supposed. "I guess pretty much since that first day we spent together downtown." He mumbled out. "I uh…I didn't know I did. Not until that night we were watching _It_ and you cuddled up next to me. I kept, I don't know, trying to make up excuses for what I felt before that. But then you, you laid your head on my chest and I just…I don't know. I just knew." He shook his head and looked away from her. "Then I got scared and I convinced myself it'd be better for us both if I stopped talking to you. That's why I ignored you and kept to myself. But then that fucking sucked worse and I missed you like hell and I just realized I wanted you in my life even if we were just friends and I had to keep this shit to myself."

She was still straddling over him at this point and he'd still been looking away from her. She cupped his chin and turned his face so that he'd be facing her. "Is that why you tried to stop anything from happening between us the night after my date with Shawn?"

He nodded again. "I knew how I felt. I knew it wasn't smart, but in the end I let it happen. "He shook his head. "And I didn't even wanna go with Rick tonight, I swear I didn't, but I didn't know how to get out of it without making things look even more suspicious. And I did feel guilty for lying to him. I thought if I went it would be making it up to him in a way. You know?"

She just nodded to let him know she was listening and that she felt guilty, too.

"And I tried to tell him once we were at the pool hall. He asked me if something was going on between us once we got there. I tried to be honest with him and tell him I liked you, but he just fucking laughed at me and wouldn't take me seriously. He thought I was joking with him. And I get why. I really do, but…that's why I didn't wanna tell you either before now. I didn't…I didn't think you'd take me seriously because of my history. Well, that and I know you said you weren't looking for anything serious."

"I wasn't." She mumbled. "I wasn't…I wasn't looking for anything with you."

He pulled in a deep breath, feeling like he'd been punched in the gut as she said it, though he'd never expected her to feel the same. "I know you weren't. And even if you were I know you wouldn't want shit to do with me like that now."

She swallowed hard, looking him in the eye as she spoke and forcing her voice to remain steady. "Maggie said I can't hold you accountable for something you didn't do. She told me it wasn't fair to you or me. She said you're not Ed."

Had she been talking to Maggie about him earlier? Holy shit. How bad had he seriously fucked up here? Maybe he had a chance with her for real at one point. "I'm sorry. You deserve better than him. You, uh, you deserve better than somebody like me. Someone you can trust."

She didn't respond to that, she just kept talking. "She said you wouldn't go home with a girl tonight. She told me to remember that when you came back home."

He titled his head to side, unsure of where the hell she was going with this.

"Do you wanna know the difference between you and Ed?"

"Carol…."

"The difference is." She spoke over him. "Is that he was my boyfriend and he cheated on me and lied to me about it. You…you had no commitment to me. No responsibility to me. Yet…you still seem to feel more guilt about kissing someone for a few seconds and then turning them down than he ever did about any of his actions."

"I ain't no better than him." He muttered. "I knew how I felt about you and I still let her kiss me. It was a shitty thing to do and I hurt you by doing it."

"It did hurt me." She quickly agreed. "Thinking of you kissing someone else…It just…it makes me sick to my stomach. But….you told me what happened…and you stopped it from going any further. And….I think that counts for something." She took a deep breath and braced herself against him, placing her hands on his chest. "I don't wanna trust you…. And I'm not sure if I could if I wanted to…but I'd be lying to myself and you if I said I didn't feel something for you, too. Something I've been fighting like hell with myself to deny was there."


	39. Chapter 39

Hearing her say that she actually felt something for him too sent a warm, tingling sensation throughout his body. One that he knew didn't have a damn thing to do with all the beer he'd drank earlier. They were words he hadn't ever expected to hear and those words would have been like music to his ears, had it not been for the words she'd spoken before that. She didn't wanna trust him. And even if she did want to, she didn't think she could. That statement was gut-wrenching, and he was sure he only had himself to blame for that. So instead of the huge grin that should be plastered across his face at her admission, instead his eyes were down cast and a deep frown formed at the edge of his lip. "If I hadn't of gone tonight, if I would've come to you before all this.."

She knew her words had cut him deep the moment she saw him move his gaze from hers and drop his head once again. Now as he started to speak, his voice quiet and low, she couldn't help but hear the pain hidden behind his words. Almost like she'd poured salt directly into an open wound. And it hurt her see him like this. To know that something she said was causing him pain.

She reached out and cupped his face in her hands, turning him towards her and resting her forehead against his. "That's now why. It has nothing to do with that. I just…I don't wanna trust you because if I do, then I'm giving you the power to break me. And I promised myself I wouldn't go there with anyone again, that I wouldn't let myself get attached to someone like that..." She paused and let out a nervous laugh, moving her head away from his she could meet his eyes with hers, all the while keeping her hands cupped on the sides of his face. "And I've barely known you two weeks and I already fucked myself up with that one. Because I am attached to you, Daryl. I like talking to you, I like just being around you, that feeling of falling asleep with you and waking up with you having one of your arms wrapped around me…

She couldn't help but shake her head at herself, listening as things she'd been holding back from acknowledging herself spilled from her lips now. And the more she admitted, the more she scared the hell out of herself by realizing just how much she actually did like him, too. But the words were falling out of her mouth like a waterfall right now and she couldn't stop them. "I've never connected with anyone the way I connected with you. And it fucking terrifies me. It does. Because I just…I think…if I let myself go there with you and it didn't work out…it would destroy me." She couldn't even look at him as she said the last part and she wasn't sure he'd even heard her because she'd almost whispered it. It didn't really make sense to her that she felt like that, because she'd barely known him over two weeks, but she felt like she wouldn't just be losing a significant other if this didn't work out, but that she'd also be losing her best friend. She was pretty sure he'd think she was crazy with everything she'd just admitted to him and that it may have cured any feelings he had on his part.

As he listened to her talk, he slowly started to understand that the reason she didn't wanna trust him didn't have much at all to do with him. It was more about what she'd been through. Well, what Ed had put her through. And it made sense to him, hell it really did. Besides he should have known that when the words left her mouth to begin with. As many times as she'd told him that she didn't ever want to go there again with someone. And as much as he wanted to hug her and tell her that he'd never to anything to hurt her if she'd just give him a chance, he knew that might not mean much to her. He'd already hurt her feelings twice so far

But he had to do something. Because the more she said, the more he realized how much she actually did like him, too. And he suspected by the look on her face that it was almost as much of a surprise to her to say it as it was for him to hear it. But it was a pleasant one for him. One that was equally terrifying, yet exhilarating.

Terrifying because he knew what she meant about not wanting to give someone that power over you. To completely break you. He'd seen what his mother leaving had done to his father and knew damn well what it had done to him and his brother. He'd spent his entire life trying to keep himself from ever feeling that. But then he'd met her and she'd been different than anyone he'd ever met in his entire life. She made him feel differently than anyone else had. And she'd shattered that plan to pieces.

But it was exhilarating because he'd actually allowed himself to feel this for her. He hadn't shut himself down. He hadn't drowned himself in women to make it go away. And he'd actually told her how he felt tonight, and that was huge for him. Because being open about his feelings wasn't something he had ever been able to do easily. But after this, after all they'd talked about tonight and all that happened, he honestly felt like he could tell her anything. And he felt like she'd understand him, never judge him or write him off, despite how bad something he had to tell her seemed. She may not trust him not to hurt her, and she wasn't sure he could convince her she should, but he knew without a doubt that he trusted her. As hard as it was, as scary as it was, he trusted that she if they did this that she wouldn't hurt him. After all, she knew what it was like to be on the receiving end of that hurt. He doubted someone as good as her would ever want to bring that type of pain to anyone.

He moved his hands down her side, slowly resting them on her hips. Making sure to speak his next words as soft as possible. "Hey, look at me." And she did just as he asked, slowly leveling her eyes with his again. And he took a deep breath and circled his fingers over the fabric of her shirt as he said his next words. "Everything you just said, I get it. I do, because feeling this way scares the hell out of me, too. I've spent my whole life trying to avoid feeling shit, but then I met you and that went out the damn window. And I know it would fucking kill me if we did this and it don't work out. You're, uh, you're my best friend, too." He gave her a small smile. "Don't tell Rick I said that. I think he might get jealous."

She couldn't help but let out a small laugh at that. It was one of the reasons she liked him so damn much. He could always make her laugh, no matter what kinda mood she was in.

Seeing her smile made him feel a little better about all of this and it helped ease some of the tension that this entire situation was placing in the air around them. "I wanna tell you that I won't hurt you. I wanna promise you that I'd never wanna do anything to hurt you again. But I did that once and I kinda fucked that up tonightm so I don't wanna make you a promise and then turn around and break it again."

"Daryl.."

"I don't know what I'm doing here." He admitted. "I don't know how to be someone's boyfriend. I don't know the right things to say and the right things to do. Hell, I ain't even ever seen a good relationship besides Glenn and Maggie's and Hershel and Annettte's to even have an idea of what the fuck to do. But I know that I wouldn't ever lie to you. That I'd do my damn best to always make you happy." He reached up and brushed her face with his thumb. "To see that beautiful smile of yours."

She blushed and dropped her hands from his face, sliding them down his partially exposed chest from where she'd been ripping his shirt off earlier. She might not wanna trust him, to trust he wouldn't do something to hurt her, but she did believe him when he said he wouldn't lie to her. Because he'd came home tonight and had been honest with her when he didn't have to be. Knowing there was a chance that honesty could potentially ruin anything between them for good. He'd still chosen to be truthful with her. And as she'd said earlier, that did count for something.

"I ain't asking you to trust me right now. I ain't asking you to do anything you ain't ready for. I just want you to know how I feel. To think about giving." He paused and grabbed one of her hands, linking his fingers with hers. "Giving this, a chance. And I want you to know that I'll wait for you if that's what you need. I will, I swear. I ain't touching no other girl. I ain't even gonna look at one. I don't care if Rick asks me to go out with him again. I won't go. Whatever it takes, I'm willing to do it."

Her heart was pounding as he spoke and internal battle raged within her. Her mind told her this wasn't smart. That she just jumped out of a serious relationship that ended badly and she had no business even thinking about getting involved with someone else. Let alone involving herself with a self-admitted play boy. But her heart. Well it said something else entirely. It told her that it's not often in your life you meet somebody that you click with like that. Someone who makes you forget about everything that's bothering you. Someone who you can be your complete self around and that makes you not scared to try new things. Even if those new things are having sex in public places.

And he was looking at her so hopefully. Those gorgeous blue eyes of his practically shining into her soul as he watched and waited for her to say something back. And the tone of his voice, the soft way he spoke to her, it was filled with so much promise. "I'm not exactly ready to be in a relationship." She admitted, and as much as he tried to hide the hurt he felt after she spoke those words she saw the clear disappointment in his eyes. His hand was still intertwined with hers and she gave it a tight squeeze. "I'm not saying that I won't be at some point. We really haven't known each other very long, although it really feels like a lot longer than it has been."

He just nodded at her. He hadn't really expected her to want to jump into this when he'd said what he said. And he meant it when he told her he'd wait. He would give her time if that's what she needed. It would fucking suck, but she was worth it to him. He didn't mind working hard for something he wanted. "Hey. I get. It's okay. I meant what I said. I'll wait for you."

"I'm not done talking you know." She grinned. "It's rude to interrupt people." He gave her a confused look and she took that as her invitation to continue what she was saying. "I wanna get to know you better. To spend more time with you. I wanna know what scares you, drives you, makes you mad, makes you sad, what makes you happy. And I want you to know those things about me. I wanna…..I wanna let myself try to go there. I just don't wanna put a title on it yet. I just wanna be us for now. You know? Daryl and Carol. I never really got to know Ed before we jumped into a relationship, and if I'm being honest, I'm not sure I ever really knew him or he ever really knew me."

"So you want us to kinda do what we been doing. To just be friends."

"Basically, yes. But it's more than that. It's friends with a very big potential of something more." Her face grew serious as a thought crossed her mind. "But we don't have sex with other people. Or date other people or do anything at all like that with other people. That's not okay at all."

"I already said I wasn't gonna get with no one else. I meant it." He assured her. "And I'm sure as hell fine with you not getting with no one else."

"So we have an agreement then? You're okay with this?"

"Yeah. I'm good with it. I'm just glad to know you like me, too. I sure as shit wasn't expecting you to say you did." He grinned at her and he had the urge to lean up and kiss her, but he didn't. She said she wanted to be friends, and friends didn't kiss. Although he was pretty sure friends didn't straddle each other's laps and hold hands like they were doing right now either, but that was beside the point.

"Oh, and Daryl one more thing."

He cocked an eyebrow at her.

"I don't want Rick or anyone else to know about this right now. If for some reason we decided we didn't want to take this any farther, if we decided to really be just friends and that this wasn't going to work, I just, I don't see the point in upsetting him about it. Not just yet anyway."

Maybe he should've been a little more off put about not being upfront with Rick about how they felt now that they'd been honest with each other. Maybe he should have been ready for the lying to stop. But he remembered the way Rick laughed in his face earlier that night when he'd tried to tell him all this shit and there was still some resentment there that kept him from pushing this issue. "Okay." He simply agreed.

"Okay." She smiled, feeling more relieved than she'd felt in a long time. And she leaned down softly pressed her lips to his and she felt the slight flutter of butterflies in her stomach as she did. And for the first time she didn't try to fight them or push them away, she just let herself enjoy the moment.

When she pulled away from him he shot her a curious look. It wasn't that the kiss was unwelcomed by any means, he just didn't expect it. "I thought we was just gonna be friends for now?"

"We've kinda already fooled around. I don't see the point in stopping now." She smirked at him. "I mean, it's the one thing we definitely have down when it comes to all of this." And if she was being honest with herself, she would be slightly worried if they weren't sleeping together. She knew he liked sex, a lot, and he'd made her a promise not to touch anyone else. She just wanted somewhat of an insurance policy to know he didn't need to go looking anywhere else. And there was also the fact that she'd slept with him and she knew how good it was and she didn't exactly wanna stop now either.

He studied her cautiously. Not sure if any response was actually a correct one. If he said he didn't think they should do anything until she made up her mind what she wanted it might offend her. If he told her hell yeah then he felt like it went against his whole purpose of making her feel like he wanted her more than just for sex in the first place. "We don't have to." He decided to go with. "I mean, the sex is amazing but it ain't what I'm after with you."

She swallowed hard. Feeling very emotional in that moment. He was so damn sweet sometimes and she wasn't even sure if he realized it. "I know it's not."

And with that, a smile of his own lined the corner of his lips and he pulled her in for another kiss. Not because he wanted it to lead to sex in that moment, but because he loved kissing her and he could. It had been one hell of a night, but the end had turned out a hell of a lot better than he expected. They were friends with benefits with potential, and he was going to do everything in his power to make sure that potential turned into something real.


	40. Chapter 40

Daryl shifted his body and grunted as he felt himself drifting into a wakeful state the next morning. He hadn't opened his eyes yet, but he could feel the bright rays of sunshine beaming in through his window and onto his face and he wasn't in a hurry to open his eyes. Hell, he wasn't really in a hurry to move from the position he was in at all.

The warmth of Carol's body was pressed firmly against his and her backside was resting flush against his crotch. He could feel his morning wood pressing into her, but didn't bother to move or try to hide it. Her hair was tangled over his face and the faint smell of that Sweet Pea shampoo she seemed to like so much was mixed in with the scent of tobacco, which had probably been picked up from a combination of being in the bar the night before and digging into his pack of smokes when she'd gotten home. His arm had been resting lazily across her waist and he seized the opportunity to secure a firmer grip as he snaked it all the way around her. Closing the slightest bit of distance that rested between them.

They'd ended up making out on the couch last night after their admission of feelings for one another and the decision to become friends with benefits with potential. What started off as a few innocent kisses had evolved into a full on make out session and he'd felt like a damn teenager the entire time, peaking over her shoulder every so often to see if a drunken Rick ended up stumbling home and catching them. But when he looked over at the clock and noticed that it was well past three he finally realized Rick wouldn't be making it home that night. That he more than likely passed out at Jessie's place after whatever they'd ended up doing and that he wouldn't be home until tomorrow. And that meant that Daryl and Carol were free to do whatever they wanted without the fear of being caught. At least until morning came.

And at some point he'd taken her by the hand, led her back to his room, placed a few lazy kisses against her neck, and fallen asleep with her in his arms. And now, here she was still in his arms, and he wasn't ready to let go yet. Because no matter what was said last night, no matter what they did, a worry still stirred deep within the pit of his stomach. A worry that she might wake up and change her mind about what she'd told him. A worry that even if she didn't he might not get this opportunity to hold her again like this for a long time since Rick was almost always there. And even worse, a worry that maybe she wouldn't remember anything at all from last night. After all, she'd been a little drunk when he came home. She'd even said as much herself when she'd stumbled and he'd caught her on the back porch. What if she didn't remember anything at all? But that wouldn't make sense would it? She hadn't been so drunk that she couldn't have a clear conversation with him. But he could remember plenty of times his old man had been drunk enough to lay into him, clearly stating every mean and hurtful word, yet seemingly having no recollection of the events the next day.

"You must be happy to see me?" She mumbled with a sleepy laugh. Shifting herself just right so her hips grinded against the erection she could feel poking her in the ass.

His rambling thoughts and worries quickly dissipated as he shifted his attention to her, finally relenting and forcing his eyes open. Squinting as they adjusted the morning light. He pressed a light kiss on her collarbone, breathing a sigh of relief to himself as he realized at least she must remember some of last night if she wasn't wondering why she was in bed with him. "Mhm." He muttered back to her. "Always am."

She rolled over to face him. Brushing his bangs out of his eyes, and smiling to herself at the cute way his face scrunched up when she did. "You been awake long?"

He shook his head and let out a yawn. "Nah. Just a few minutes before you." He felt her run her hand down his chest and come to a rest over his boxers. Stroking him gently as he let out an involuntary moan.

She just arched a brow at him and grinned mischievously.

"Well, most of me ain't been awake." He chuckled.

She continued to run a teasing hand along him. "I'd feel flattered, but I know it's a guy thing."

"Nah, it aint. It's a you thing." He growled, moving his lips to her neck and gently sucking as she continued to work her hands around him.

She couldn't help but smile at that, letting out a soft moan of her own at the feel of his lips tugging gently on her skin. She reached out and pulled his face to hers, feeling him meet them demandingly as he rolled over on top of her. But before things could get too heated, she forced herself to push him up. Her own better judgement taking hold over her desires. "What time do you think it is?" She breathed out.

He turned to look at the clock on the night stand of the side of the bed he slept on. "Little afte ten."

"I think we need to pick this up some other time. If Rick isn't already home he could be any minute."

He rolled off of her and let out a frustrated groan and almost immediately regretted it. He'd spent the night before telling her this wasn't about sex to him and now here he was getting upset because he couldn't get laid. But she had kinda just been playing with his dick and he had no idea when they'd get to pick things up again. He supposed he could take care of it himself in the shower. Though that wouldn't be half as much fun. "Reckon you're right." He muttered, pushing himself up on his elbows. "You wanna get dressed and grab some breakfast? I'll buy."

"Yeah, I could eat. Greasy food is always the best after a night of drinking." She laughed to herself, as if she'd suddenly realized something hilarious. "You know? I think Maggie bribed the bartender to start giving me virgin drinks after we went to Oasis. There's no way I should be awake right now without puking my guts out and a pounding headache after all I had to drink."

()()()

Rick groaned to himself as he was coming into consciousness the next morning. His head was already pounding and a horrid nauseous feeling was settled deep into the pit of his stomach. He'd had entirely too much to drink last night and he was going to pay for it terribly today.

He dug his head into the pillow below him and an over powering smell of coconuts enveloped his nostrils, only driving the urge he already had to gag. He groaned again and pushed himself up off of his stomach, knowing he would more than likely be hurling any minute now and wanting to be able to make a quick escape to the bathroom. He blinked several times when his eyes shot open, not recognizing a single thing in the bedroom he was in. Not the yellow walls, not the floral sheets, not the tiny, white fluffy dog resting at his feet. "Where the fuck am I?" He muttered to himself, rubbing his eyes and trying to piece back together the events of last night.

The covers beside him suddenly popped back and revealed a blond woman with disheveled hair squinting up at him. "Morning." She mumbled.

And as he realized who exactly it was next to him, images of last night raced to his mind. Going out with Daryl to find a girl so he could get over Lori. Running into Jessie and her Hispanic friend, whose name he couldn't quite remember, at the pool hall. Going to the club and making out with Jessie. Daryl abruptly leaving the club and him going after him. Jessie coming out to find them and inviting him to her place. The images were still a bit fuzzy and he couldn't tell you all the events of the night if his life depended on it, especially the ones of what happened after he actually got back to Jessie's place, but he knew the gist of what happened now. He knew why he was here. "Morning." He mumbled back, feeling a lot less confident than he had last night and hell of a lot more awkward when he looked to the side of the bed and noticed his clothes on the floor.

Jessie yawned and sat up in bed, the covers dropping and exposing her bare breasts. "My head's killing me. I'm gonna go grab some Tylenol. Do you need any?"

He looked over at her, noticing she was exposed and not feeling like he knew her well enough to let his eyes linger, so he quickly averted them to the ceiling. "Yeah. Um. Yeah, that'd be good. My head's killing me, too."

"I'll be right back." She informed him, slipping out of bed as naked as the day she was born and grabbing a robe from her closet. She turned to look at him as she tied it around herself. "Water or Coke?"

"Huh?" He squeaked out, not moving his eyes from the spot they'd been gazing at on the ceiling.

"To take your Tylenol with. Do you want water or coke?"

"Oh, um, water." He replied, knowing that he probably couldn't stomach the coke right now. It was going to be a miracle if he could get the pills down with just the water.

"'Coming right up." She said as she slipped out of the room, closing the door behind her.

He practically launched himself out of the bed once she left the room. He landed unsteady on his feet and busted his ass on her hard wood floor. He groaned again and grabbed his shirt that he'd landed beside, quickly pulling it over his head. He grabbed onto the side of her dresser to help himself up and then gathered up his boxers and pants and quickly put them on, too. He patted his pockets down, making sure he hadn't lost his wallet the night before. He was relieved when he felt it in his back pocket, but then a surge of panic shot through him as he remembered something else from last night. And this part he seemed to suddenly remember as clear as day. Daryl had told him that the reason he wanted to leave and couldn't hook up with someone was because he had an STD. What if this girl he just hooked up had something, too? He didn't know her history. Hell, he barely knew her at all. Didn't even know her last name. Had he even been smart enough to use protection with this girl? What if he hadn't? What if she got pregnant? He couldn't have a kid with someone he barely knew.

He felt his stomach churn even more and he could feel sweat beading against his skin. He snatched his wallet out of his back pocket, rummaging to see if the condom he'd stashed back there was gone. To his complete relief, it was no longer there. At least he'd still managed to use his common sense while he was inebriated.

What in the hell had he done last night? He thought that this was supposed to make him feel better. Not leave him in a fit of panic. And maybe last night it had. When she was flirting with him. When he was drinking. When he was getting physical attention that he'd been craving and missing out on.

But in the light of day he couldn't say that he felt any less empty than he'd felt before. That hole that Lori left in his heart was still there. The pain he felt from the betrayal was still there. Nothing had changed, other than the fact that he got laid and had officially had sex with someone else.

Things with Jessie felt awkward this morning. He wasn't sure what they were supposed to do or say to one another. Did he thank her for the sex and leave? Did he kiss her before he left? Did he promise to call her, though he knew he didn't have any real intention to do so? Did it make him an asshole if he didn't call her again? Other than the physical, he felt no real connection with her. And he felt like it would be sleazy just to keep in touch with her to have sex again sometime. How the fuck did Daryl do this all the time? He wondered to himself. It all seemed too complicated.

He reached into his front pocket and pulled out his phone to check the time. It was almost 11 and he hadn't been home yet. He had two messages and he half expected them to be from his sister wondering where he was, but neither of them were. In fact, both were from Michonne. One sent late last night and one sent this morning.

The first message read: _"Hey. I can't sleep. Anyway, I was just thinking about you and everything we talked about the other day. I hope you had a better night. Hit me back up if you're awake. If not, I'll talk to you tomorrow._

The second was sent only about thirty minutes ago and read: _"Are you alive? It's not like you to sleep past nine. Lol. By the way, mom's already driving me crazy. I know it's her birthday and all, but I can't wait to get home Sunday. I was thinking we could do dinner and a movie. I kinda wanna talk to you about something. Let me know if that works for you._

His head fell after he finished reading both messages. A strange feeling of guilt bubbling in his chest. Michonne was probably his best friend, aside from Daryl, and she was another person who'd really been there for him the last few months. Helping him deal with the fallout from the break up with Lori and making sure he put one foot in front of the other, even on days he hadn't wanted to. But she was something else to him, too. Something he'd never been quite sure of and hadn't wanted to let himself think about too much. And not just because he hadn't been ready to move on and trust again, but also because they were such good friends. He didn't wanna do anything to mess that up or jeopardize that. Besides, he hadn't ever had a reason to think that she thought of him as anything else.

And he still didn't know if he wanted to act on those feelings, if he wanted to take that chance that he might just look like an idiot and make things weird between them, but he did know that he acknowledged them now. That he knew he couldn't deny them, because he wouldn't be feeling guilt like this if they didn't exist. He took a seat on the edge of the bed and placed his head in his hands as he tried to process this realization.

"You alright" Jessie asked him softly, taking a seat next to him and extending her hand with the water bottle and Tylenol in it to him.

He picked his head up and looked over at her, taking both from her.. "Yeah. Just a killer headache and I feel like I could puke my guts out. This'll help. Thanks."

"You're welcome. Yeah. I think we both got a little wasted last night."

"Yeah. I don't think I've been that wasted since right after I found out Lori cheated on me." He grimaced after he said it, wondering if that was the wrong thing to say to someone you just had sex with. "I'm sorry. I, I haven't really done this in a while." He sighed. "Honestly, I've never done this before."

She couldn't help but laugh. "You're not too bad for a virgin. Or maybe I was just that drunk."

He laughed too. "Not that. I mean, I haven't been with anyone since…Lori…or before her. I guess I'm trying to say I don't hook up and I don't know what the hell to say or do here." He nervously ran a hand along the back of his neck.

She gave him a sympathetic look. "You don't have to say or do anything. We ran into each other and had a good time last night. I'm okay with that being it as long as you are."

He gave her an unsure look in return. He didn't wanna hurt her feelings, but he didn't wanna lie to her either just to try and make her feel good. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I'm sure." She rubbed his shoulder lightly. "You seem like a good guy, Rick. But sometimes people can hook up and it doesn't have to mean anything for either of them. Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I can't enjoy sex without falling in love with someone."

()()()

Daryl and Carol had scoped the house out for any sign of Rick. Daryl leaving his room first to make sure Rick wasn't in the living room and wouldn't notice Carol exiting his room. Once he'd given her the okay to come out they'd gone to Rick's room to see if he ever made it home and once they realized he hadn't, they'd decided to go to eat. They'd settled on a breakfast place downtown and just walked there. He'd had to fight every single damn urge in his body not to put an arm around her on the walk there. To sit across from her and not next to her. Not to do anything that would make it seem that they were anything more than friends. It was strange, he thought, how the simple fact that he knew she liked him too had him longing to do those things. To reach out and touch her, to be as close to her as possible at all times, to let everyone in the room know that they were both off limits to other people. But he couldn't, because if he did someone might go back and tell Rick.

And as they made the stroll home he kept absently looking over at her hand, wishing he could reach out and take it in his. Damn it. When had he gotten to be so fucking sappy and clingy? This was the type of shit he used to make fun of Rick and Glenn for.

"I could've saved you half the money by cooking for us at home. You know that, right?" She said turning towards him.

He turned to face her and broke himself out of his thoughts. "And it would've tasted better, too. But you cook all the damn time for us. Ain't no reason for you had to cook for us today."

"I don't mind cooking." She shrugged. "I like it. I like seeing people enjoy something I made myself." An excited grin lined her face. "You still haven't gotten to try my homemade blackberry pies yet. I've got a special recipe."

He gave her a suggestive smirk. "I've tried your pie. I like your pie. Damn good pie if I say so myself."

She reached over and punched him in the arm. "Pervert."

He chuckled and rubbed his arm from the hit. She had a punch on her and it was stinging like hell. "Let me guess? You used to beat Rick' ass growing up?"

"I might have." She admitted, stepping closer to him as they walked. "But my brother can pack a punch when he wants, too. Trust me."

"He punched a hole clean through our dry wall when he found out about Lori and Shane. Ain't never seen him so mad before."

She pursed her lips and started to say something, but didn't. She had a feeling when Rick finally found out about them that he might end up even madder than he was about Lori and Shane. "You think he's home by now?" She asked instead. "I'm getting a little worried about him. He did kinda go home with some stranger."

"He might be. But you ain't gotta worry about him. Jessie ain't no psycho. At least not the murdering kind."

She quirked an eyebrow at him. Feeling unease in her gut as he talked like he knew the girl Rick went home with. Had her brother just slept with someone her kind of boyfriend had slept with? If Rick ended up actually liking this girl would she have to be around some girl Daryl slept with? Would Daryl be around her?

"It ain't like that." He said, noticing the look of unease on her face. "I ain't never touched Jessie. Hell, I don't even really like her. She used to work with me. She's the girl that quit and you got her job."

She nodded, feeling relief wash over her as they continued to walk towards the house. And within a few minutes they were in front of the door and she was pausing, wondering if her brother was going to be behind it. Wondering if she'd have a little more time alone with Daryl before she had to go back to pretending that nothing was going on. Before she had to refocus herself on the friends part of this friends with benefits with potential deal they had going on. But then Daryl stepped forward to open the door and Rick was leaned back against the couch with a bucket on the floor next to him and she knew that for the rest of the day she was going to have to keep a reasonable distance between them, and she couldn't help but feel a little sad at that thought.

"How you feeling?" Daryl asked Rick as he stepped in the front door.

"Like shit." Rick mumbled. "I puked three times after I walked home."

"Walk of shame?" Daryl laughed, plopping down beside Rick.

Rick looked up and noticed his sister coming in behind Daryl. "Something like that." He muttered. "Where've you two been?"

"We went to get breakfast downtown." Carol replied, taking a seat on the other side of Rick. "So…..You really did it? You hooked up with someone?"

He just nodded in response.

"Was it weird?" She mimicked the same question he posed to her after she told him Shawn kissed her, and she truthfully wondered if it was.

He slowly looked up at his sister. "Kissing her wasn't weird. I don't think the sex was weird. Not what I remember of it anyway. But this morning was weird and awkward as hell. It just…It wasn't right." He looked over at Daryl. "I don't see how you do it."

He looked over at Carol and as she looked over at him and when her own eyes met his all he could think of was that he didn't know either. Because what he found in her, it was so much better. And he wished he'd found it sooner. Under different circumstances. When she was in a different place and fully ready to give this her all. When he wouldn't feel like he was betraying his best friend by going for this. In some alternate world where Rick would actually be happy to know how he felt about his sister.

Rick looked back over at Carol for his next sentence. "And I know I'm always being over protective of you and trying to tell you what to do and what I'm about to say isn't fair. I know it's not. But whenever you do decide to sleep with someone again, just try and make sure it's really what you want. Not just because you wanna forget or make yourself feel better. Make sure it's with someone you'll actually feel comfortable waking up to the next day."

She looked back over at Daryl and chewed her bottom lip. Thinking back to the morning after their first night together and how easy things had been once they'd actually faced each other in the kitchen. How comfortable she'd been with him. "I promise, the next person I sleep with will be someone I'm comfortable with. It won't be something I regret.

 **(** **Thanks for reading and reviewing!)**


	41. Chapter 41

**(It's late. I'm not sleepy. Might as well give you all another chapter. Enjoy. Thanks for reading and reviewing.)**

"You mind if I borrow your car for a while?" Carol asked Rick as she stepped from her bedroom into the living room.

Rick, who was currently sprawled out on the couch nursing his hangover, just looked up at her and groaned. His massive headache from earlier had returned with a vengeance and he felt like his head was being crushed between two boulders. "Why do you need it?"

"Figured I could go pick up some groceries. We're getting a little low on food that's not microwavable." She shrugged. "And I kinda wanna ride out to Hershel's."

He shifted on the couch, bringing his arm up to cover his face. "Why do you wanna go there?" He mumbled.

"He's got all those woods and all that land. I was thinking about picking some blackberries to make a few pies. Maggie said she'd meet me over there if I wanted to pick some."

He cringed at the thought of the sweet treat his sister was talking about making. "Any other time I'd be excited about homemade blackberry pie, but the thought of food right now makes me wanna puke my guts out. So please just wait until tomorrow to make it if you're gonna cook it."

She chuckled at that. "Gotcha. No baking until tomorrow."

"Keys are by my nightstand." He called out, wincing at the sound of his own voice. "You need any money to go on groceries?"

She thought about it for a moment. She probably could use a little help buying them food for the week. After all, it wasn't cheap to feed three people. Especially as much as Rick and Daryl could chow down on. But she also felt a little guilty knowing the arrangement she made with Daryl and knowing they were keeping a pretty substantial secret from her brother. And in her mind, she felt she could appease some of her guilt by doing nice things for her brother. "It's on me this time. Don't worry about it." She told him as she headed to his room to grab his keys.

()()()

She'd gone to meet Maggie over at Hershel's first. Deciding that she should probably pick the blackberries before going to the supermarket. Some of the things she needed to grab would ruin if she left them in the car too long. The milk, meats, yogurt, ice-cream. It just made more sense. She'd pulled up in the yard right after Maggie, who'd just been shutting her car door as Carol pulled in.

"Thanks for meeting me here." Carol said as she stepped out of her brother's car. Offering Maggie a small smile.

"No problem. It's not like I've got much else to do today. Glenn's working until six."

Carol reached into the back of the car and grabbed two grocery bags. "Lead the way."

Maggie walked them around the property taking her to all the spots she with blackberry vines closest to the house first. She took one of the bags from her to help her start picking them. "You know? We have a few blueberry bushes, too. Feel free to take some of those if you want."

"You sure your dad won't mind?"

She shook her head, popping a blackberry into her mouth. "There's plenty. Hell, when his garden starts coming in good he'll be sending food home from work with you every Friday. Squash, cucumbers, peppers, watermelons."

Carol found a berry that was at the point that it was a mix between being red and black and she popped it into her own mouth instead of the bag. Savoring the taste as she did so. "I won't be complaining about free home grown food. Trust me."

Maggie chuckled. "You might not have to buy groceries any more this summer. Just send Daryl out on a hunt and take the spoils daddy gives you. You guys should be set."

Carol grinned and shook her head at that. She was pretty sure with the size of Hershel's garden and what she'd heard about Daryl's hunting skills that if they ever had to that they could survive that way.

"So?" Maggie pondered. "How'd last night go?"

"It was alright. I stayed for about thirty minutes or an hour after you left. I can't remember really. Shawn walked me home."

"Well, I already know that much. Shawn sent me a text to let me know you made it home safe."

Carol was leaning down shoveling blackberries into her bag when she straightened herself up and cocked an eyebrow at her friend. "You're as bad as my brother when it comes to being over protective. You realize that don't you?"

Maggie just rolled her eyes at that. "I am not. It's called being a good friend."

"Right. A good friend who told the bartender to give me virgin drinks?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." She replied innocently.

"Come on, Maggie. I should've been trashed as much as I'd had to drink."

Maggie ignored her and kept picking blackberries.

"I'm not mad about it." She assured her.

Maggie finally looked up at her, revealing a guilty face. "The bartender may be a client of ours and I may have bribed him with the promise of a free nail trim and bath for his Yorkie."

Carol smirked and tossed a blackberry at her once she admitted it. "Bitch."

"I did it for your own good. You were really upset and I didn't want you doing anything you'd regret. I'm sorry."

"It's actually okay. I'm glad you did it. Especially after seeing how miserable Rick looked this morning."

Maggie got a curious look on her face and arched a brow. "What happened last night when Rick and Daryl went out?"

Carol looked around them, as if she expected someone to pop around the corner any second and hear what she was about to say. "This stays between us. Understood?"

Maggie nodded.

"I'm serious. I don't want this going anywhere." She insisted firmly.

She put both hands up. "Whatever you say stays between us, Carol. I promise."

Carol exhaled deeply. "My brother hooked up with some girl named Jessie."

She clasped a hand over her mouth. "No! Jessie? Like, Jessie that worked at the clinic before you did? That Jessie?"

"That's the one Daryl said it was."

"I can't believe Rick actually went through with it." She stated in disbelief.

"Me either." She swallowed hard, feeling a little bad for telling Rick's business like that, but he hadn't asked her to keep it a secret and someone had to see them together last night. This girl could easily tell people about it, too.

"What about Daryl?" Maggie inquired.

She jerked her head towards Maggie. "What about him?"

"Did he come home last night or did he hook up with someone?"

She paused. Wondering how much she should tell Maggie. She'd been the one to tell Daryl she didn't wanna tell people. And if she wanted him to respect that wish then she should, too. "He came home not long after I did." She simply replied.

"Like I said he would." She smirked.

"Yes." She reluctantly agreed. "Like you said he would."

"And?"

"And it counts for something. That's all I'm gonna say." She smirked back. "Now can we stop talking about this and pick some blackberries?"

()()()

Daryl had gone in the woods behind their house earlier. Needing the solitude only the woods could bring him. He felt trapped in the house and needed some time to himself. Guilt and frustration were eating away at him. Guilt because every time he looked at Rick he felt like a low down good for nothing lying sack of shit. Frustration because he felt like he had to tip toe around Carol whenever Rick was home. Especially since he knew after last night that Rick had suspicions that they were fooling around.

He understood why Carol didn't wanna tell him yet. He really did. She didn't wanna upset him and risk changing her mind about them. She was trying to make sure that his friendship with her brother wasn't put in jeopardy if it didn't have to be. She was trying to make sure that she and her brother didn't end up in a shouting match unless they had to. And he also felt like she thought that she was protecting herself by not telling people. That she could distance herself from getting even more attached to him if no one knew about it. That it would keep her feelings from becoming more real than she'd already admitted they were.

And hell, he understood that, too. Because he'd tried like hell no to admit his feelings for her to himself. But that hadn't made them any less fucking real. Admitting it out loud to Rick had been fucking scary enough, because in that moment when he'd heard himself speak it, the words felt foreign coming from him. Like he was listening to someone else say them as they left his own lips. Because had damn sure thought he'd never be speaking those words. And thinking back, maybe he did get why Rick laughed at him and didn't take him seriously. If Merle came to him and told him he had feelings for some girl he probably would've laughed at his ass, too.

And maybe he should try to be honest with Rick again. He thought to himself. But there wasn't really anything he could do about it now. Too many lies had been told at this point. The damage had been done. He knew it would eventually catch up to them, he knew it would get ugly when it finally did. But he truly felt like she was worth it. Having a chance with her was worth it. Getting to be with her in whatever way she was willing to let him was worth it. No matter what it cost him. And that thought fucking terrified him. Knowing how much he was already willing to give up just for her and knowing he really didn't know her that well. Not yet. It should be enough to send his ass running so damn fast he left dust trails. But he couldn't run away from her if he wanted to. She was like a fucking drug to him. And he was already addicted.

And as he walked out of the woods and headed towards their backyard that evening, a pellet gun in one hand and several squirrels in another, he forced himself to stop thinking about all of that. Because once he got in that house with Rick, for all intents and purposes, he and Carol were just friends. And he didn't need to be thinking about shit and slip up and say anything that would make Rick think otherwise.

Once he stepped through their privacy fence he was surprised to find Rick perched on a step on their back porch. Poor guy had been laid out on the couch when he left. "You feeling any better?" He asked, taking a seat on the step beside Rick and leaning the gun against the rails, laying the squirrels down beside it.

Rick rubbed at his temples. "A lot better than I was feeling. Remind me not to drink that much again."

Daryl hummed. "Like I ain't never heard you say that before. Remember that party we went to freshman year?"

Rick chuckled. "My first keg stand and the slip in slide in the hallway."

"I think we both hurled almost the whole next day."

"I'm pretty sure that's how we became friends." Rick chuckled again. "That night was the most you talked to me since moving in."

"I ain't a fucking social butterfly like your ass." He grumbled

"More so than you used to be I guess." He replied, rubbing his chin.

Daryl had to chuckle at that. Knowing he had come a long way from when he first moved to this city. Remembering how he used to have to have a beer to feel comfortable going anywhere new or being around new people. Maybe part of it was his job and the interactions he had to have with people on a daily basis. Maybe it was the confidence he gained by sleeping with different women over the years. Maybe it was being away from the shitty environment he was in growing up. Or maybe it was because for the first time in his life he had real friends. People he knew really did care about him. "A lot's changed since freshman year. For both of us."

"Yep. You ain't lying about that. A hell of a lot." He sighed heavily.

He heard the tension in Rick's voice. He'd known the man long enough to be able to tell something was on his mind right now. Something he no doubt wanted to talk to Daryl about. And Daryl fucking hated talking about feelings and shit, but he couldn't just get up and leave and he couldn't ignore his friend. "Everything good?"

Rick ran his hands through his hair anxiously. "I think I fucked up man."

Daryl raised both brows at him, feeling panic rise in his own chest for Rick "Like….like you didn't a condom fucked up?"

"No!" He shook his head quickly. "Trust me. I already made sure of that."

"Well, what'd you fuck up then?" He asked curiously.

He sighed again. "Michonne. I think….I think I like Michonne."

Daryl nodded in understanding. "Why'd you sleep with Jessie if you wanted Michonne?"

"I didn't know I liked her!" He yelled "Not…not until this morning."

"How'd you not know that? Fuck, I knew you liked her."

"Why didn't you fucking say anything?" He hissed.

"Me? Why the fuck should I have to tell you that you like someone? You should be smart enough to figure it out on your own. Hell, I was smart enough to realize…" He stopped himself as soon as he realized that he was about to tell him that he'd been able to realize he liked Carol, but quickly corrected himself. "To realize you liked Michonne. Just…figured you knew."

"Maybe I did. Fuck, I don't know." He groaned. "I guess I didn't wanna think about it. I didn't wanna let myself go there. I know that probably doesn't make any sense at all to you."

Daryl blew out a heavy breath. "Makes a hell of a lot more sense to me than you'd think, bud."

Either Rick ignored what Daryl just said or he was too lost in his own thoughts to acknowledge it, but he just kept talking. "Now I don't know what to do. Should I tell her how I feel? If I do, what if she finds out I slept with someone else? And what if she doesn't like me like that? She is kinda the one that told me to move on and it's because of her that I ended up hooking up with Jessie."

"First off, move on don't mean go stick your dick in the first thing that'll let you. Knowing Michonne, I doubt that's what she meant by that. And I damn sure wouldn't tell her it's her fault you fucked some other bitch."

Rick glared at him, but Daryl ignored it.

"Second, you just gotta be honest with her."

"What do you mean by be honest?"

"I mean fucking tell her everything. How you feel about her. What happened this weekend. All that shit, man." He barked.

He looked at Daryl like he had two heads. "If she likes me too that's gonna hurt her feelings."

"Probably." He agreed. "But ain't it gonna hurt her worse if someone else tells her?"

Rick grew quiet, pondering his options. "And if she doesn't like me back? What happens if I tell her and make an ass out of myself?"

Daryl shrugged, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his cigarettes. "At least you know and you don't sit there wondering what the fuck could've been." He pressed the cigarette to his lips and took a long drag. "And if she don't like you like that maybe she'll at least let you hit it a few times for being honest and all." He smirked before slipping the cigarette to his lips again.

Rick smirked back and shook his head before he slapped his friend on the back. "There we go. That's the Daryl I know. I was starting to get fucking worried about you for a second."

()()()

Carol had been gone when Daryl first got home. She eventually showed back up with several bags of groceries and two large bags full of blackberries. Promising to make that blackberry pie tomorrow that she'd told him about earlier in the day. He'd tossed a pizza in the oven and then the three of them had settled in the living room and watched a movie together. Rick had finally reached a point in his hangover that he could stomach something and indulged in the pizza with them. Carol and Rick were on the couch together and Daryl was in the recliner, giving her a longing glance every now and again and wishing he could trade seats with Rick.

Eventually, she'd gone to her room and he and Rick had stayed in the living room. A UFC fight was on and they both stayed up to watch it. When the fight was off Rick had gone to his room and Daryl had decided to call it a night, too. As he was on his way to his room he paused in the hallway, debating on whether or not he should see if Carol was still awake. He found himself wandering to her door, knocking lightly, though the lights were already off.

"Come in." She called out.

He slowly opened the door, listening to it creak as he pushed it open. "Did I wake you?" He asked, noticing from the light of her television that she was laying in bed.

She pulled an ear bud out of her ear and dangled it where he could see. "I was just listening to music."

He nodded. Slowly walking over to her, fidgeting his hands as he did. He had a burning question on his mind. One he wanted to ask her all day, but hadn't had the opportunity to yet. One that made him nervous as hell just thinking about it. "Can I ask you something?" He muttered.

She nodded and patted the bed for him to come sit down beside her. "What's on your mind?"

He slid in bed beside her. Nervously running his hands up and down the legs of his pants and not meeting her eyes as he spoke. "I was just thinking." He bit his bottom lip, trying to get the rest of the sentence out, but feeling his stomach twist into a bundle of nerves as he did.

She couldn't help but notice how nervous he seemed and that her feeling a little nervous herself. "You thinking can be dangerous." She teased, trying to lighten the mood.

He scowled at her, not being able to hold his angry look when he saw the small grin line her beautiful face, and breaking into a grin of his own. "Shut up." He mumbled. Nudging her shoulder with his.

She linked her arm around his shoulder after she steadied herself from his nudge, securing a firm grip around his arm. "What's on your mind, Daryl?"

"I wanna take you on a date." He mumbled.

She couldn't help but bust out in another grin. Feeling very relieved that was what he'd been so nervous about. "I don't see why you were so worried to ask me that. We've already had sex. Isn't that why most guys ask girls out on dates anyway? To get laid?"

He could tell by the sarcastic tone in her voice that she was just fucking with him, but he was being really serious right now. He'd never asked anyone on a real date before. He'd never been a on a real date before. And he really wanted to take her out. He felt like it was a big deal and he hoped it would help show her how serious he was about her. About them. "I'm trying to be serious right now." He replied, softly. "I wanna take you out on a real date. Somewhere nice. Somewhere we ain't gotta worry about running into no one we know or that knows Rick."

She'd only been joking with him when she said what she said, but she could tell by his voice that this was something he was taking very seriously. Something that was really important. And truthfully, she liked the idea of going on a real date with him. It was exciting and she was sure it would be much better than the so called date she'd been on with Shawn. She smiled and then reached up and brushed the side of his face with her hand, the feel of his stubble he hadn't bothered to shave off this morning brushing against her skin. "Of course I'll go on a date with you." She leaned in and placed a soft kiss to his lips.

 **(This was a little Rick heavy. But I promise that it was also important to Carol and Daryl in the long run.)**


	42. Chapter 42

**(Sorry updates haven't been as frequent as I'd like for them to be lately. My motivation to write hasn't been as high as I would like for it to be. Here's the next chapter. Thanks for reading and reviewing and I hope you all enjoy.)**

Carol woke up the next morning feeling a mix of different emotions flooding through her head. Daryl asking her out on a date last night had taken her a bit by surprise. As did the slightly adorable way he'd so nervously gone about simply asking her that question.

It was funny, she thought, how he could be so confident in the bedroom, yet so awkward about his feelings for her. Hell, she wasn't exactly a ball of confidence these days either she supposed. She'd fought herself tooth and nail to try and not feel anything for him. But in the end it hadn't done a damn bit of good. Because knowing how Daryl felt about her also forced her to acknowledge how she felt about him.

And that's where all of these mixed emotions she was feeling started to come into play. Because she was so torn right now. Between wanting to dive head first into this and just go the whole boyfriend/girlfriend route. To tell her brother and everyone else in their lives that they liked each other and wanted to be together. To be able to kiss him and hold his hand whenever she wanted to. To know she could have sex with him whenever she wanted without fear of getting caught. To have the freedom to wake up in his arms in the morning without one of them having to sneak out of a room. But her mind kept telling her she wasn't ready for all of that. That she didn't know him well enough to dive into that yet. That maybe what he felt might fade away as quickly as it appeared. That he would easily tire of her and want his old life back. There was a million things she could tell herself to try and reinforce that she shouldn't fully go there. That she had to keep some amount of distance between them. To still keep her feelings somewhat at bay for now.

But she couldn't help the excited feeling she got when she let herself think about Daryl taking her on a real date later tonight. Her stomach kept doing flip flops and her heart would flutter each time she thought about it. Knowing how much of a big deal it was that he actually wanted to take her out on a date. Something he'd admitted he'd never done with another girl before. Knowing how nervous he'd been when he asked her. It made her feel special, important, really cared about. Things she hadn't felt in a long time.

And she couldn't deny the fact that it had been hard as hell to send him back to his own room last night. To not let anything happen between them and to not ask him to stay with her all night and wake up with him the next morning. But if she'd let it happen she knew that was going to become a routine with them. She liked the way it felt waking up in his arms way too much already.

()()()

Daryl had been ecstatic when Carol agreed to actually go on a real date with him. He'd been such a jumble of nerves trying to get the words out. And part of him felt stupid for worrying himself so much about it. After all, they'd been out to eat together several times. They'd slept together even more times than that. It shouldn't be such a big deal to go out to dinner together. It shouldn't make his stomach twist in knots when he thought about the evening ending up any less than perfect.

But this was a huge deal to him. It was his chance to show her he could be the kinda guy who took her on dates. The kinda guy who did little things to make her happy. The kinda guy who could do more than just get her off and give her a good time. It was his chance to give her a glimpse of what he'd be like as a boyfriend.

Boyfriend. He repeated that word to himself several times in his own head. Each time it didn't seem to sound any less strange than it had the first. Yet, it's still what he longed to be when it concerned her. It was the goal he was hell bent on working towards.

And that goal came with a hell of a lot of planning on his part. Not because he had anything really extravagant planned for the night, but more so because it meant that he had to plan around Rick figuring out that they were going on a date.

First he'd had to book reservations at a restaurant twenty minutes north of them. One he was pretty confident none of their friends would be at it. It was an Italian place he'd heard Hershel mention taking Annette to before. And a nice one at that. It was dimly lit and had a fireplace inside the building. The food was supposedly top notch, too.

Next, he'd had to work out a story of where he was going to be for the night. Rick was supposed to meet Michonne for dinner and a movie, so he wasn't that worried about Rick wondering where they were going to be, but he'd wanted some insurance just in case. Especially if Rick told Michonne about his weekend with Jessie and things went south for the two of them, cutting their night short and resulting in Rick coming home and wanting company.

He'd thought about saying he was going to the gym or the library, but he realized he might get caught that way if Rick ended up looking for them. He'd asked Carol what she was going to say that she was doing, and she'd come up with a pretty good plan that could work for them both. And it was somewhere Rick couldn't exactly pop in looking for them either.

()()()

Rick walked into the living room, nervously running his hand over the watch on his left arm. He looked over at his sister who was sitting on the couch reading, then to Daryl who was in the recliner on his lap top. "I'm about to head out to meet Michonne for dinner and a movie. Not sure what time I'll be back."

"Have fun." Carol told him, not bothering to look up from her book.

"Let me know how the movie is." Daryl mumbled, busily typing away at something and not bothering to look up at Rick either.

Rick stepped towards the door, turning one last time before he left. "I'll see you guys later. Are you still gonna go to the clinic and teach her some more about all the medicines and vaccines?"

This time Daryl actually bothered looking up. First glancing at Carol, then over to Rick. "Yeah. We uh, we're still gonna go. Might be gone a while, not sure if we'll be back before you or not. I got a lot to teach her."

"We might even go to the gym after." Carol chimed in, glancing over at Daryl and giving him a mischievous smirk. "I'm in the mood for a good workout."

He couldn't help but tug at his bottom lip. The sexy little grin she was shooting him and the suggestive undertones were already driving him crazy and he hadn't gotten her alone yet. "Yeah, I could go for a nice, long workout myself."

Rick looked between the two of them and raised his eyebrows. He didn't get the enthusiasm they both seemed to have for going to the gym later. He enjoyed a good exercise high as much as the next guy, but they seemed way too into the idea. "Okay. Well, you two have fun with all that. I'll see y'all later tonight."

()()()

As soon as Rick left, the two of them had retreated to their rooms to get ready for their date. It hadn't take Daryl very long to put something on. But Carol had been in the bathroom a good thirty minutes before she finally emerged. When she finally emerged she was wearing a pink sun dress, cut just right, exposing every freckle that lined the pale skin of her chest and shoulders. The length came up to about her mid-thigh, displaying those long legs of hers.

Daryl couldn't help but admire how good she looked. It almost had him wanting to skip dinner and have her for dessert right now. Sun dresses had always been one of his biggest weaknesses. She was smiling at him, her cheeks displaying the slightest hint of pink as he slowly walked towards her. He placed a hand on either side of her hips and licked his lips. "You look so damn sexy." He growled, pulling her further into him and moving in to kiss her.

She felt more color rise in her cheeks at his words. The feeling of his hands on her hips and his body pressing against hers had her thinking of all the things she'd like him to do to her right now since they were alone. But tonight wasn't about that. It was about their date. Their first date. And if they started to fool around they'd miss their reservations. She gently placed a hand on his chest, pushing him away lightly and offering him an evil grin as he gave her a confused look. "You're quite the charmer, Daryl. But this is our first date and you're just picking me up. Don't think you're gonna get me in bed so easily." She winked at him for added measure.

The slight pang of rejection he'd first felt when she pushed him away was slowly replaced with a sideways grin. He'd wanted to do this. He'd told her he wanted to take her on a proper date. And she was right, he should treat it like one instead of trying to jump her the moment he saw her. "Can I start over?"

She nodded, still smirking playfully at him.

He cleared his throat and pulled his hands away from her. Shoving them in his pockets for good measure. He could play along the same way she was. Acting like they hadn't seen each other naked a handful of times already. "You look really pretty tonight. I'm glad you finally agreed to go out with me."

"What can I say? You're a pretty cute guy. And sweet when you wanna be. I figured why not?"

He moved his hands out of his pockets, carefully positioning one over her lower back. "Are you ready to go? I picked a place I think you're really gonna like. It's supposed to be all romantic and shit."

She chuckled at that. He'd been on a role with that sweet side of his until that last sentence. "You sure have a way with words." She teased.

He hummed at that and leaned in close to her, pressing his lips right next to her ear, dropping his voice to that low, sexy, almost growl of his. Returning his mindset to what they both new was a façade, but he was having fun pretending this was really the first time anything might happen between them anyway. "I find I've got a way with a lot of things. I got a feeling you'll be finding that out soon enough."

()()()

They'd taken his bike on the twenty minute trek to next town. She'd insisted on bringing a pack with her that contained extra clothes. Athletic shorts and a simple tank top. She said she wanted to change into them before going home so Rick wouldn't ask her a million questions about the sundress she was in. He wished he'd have thought to do the same looking back on it. His nice jeans and the button down shirt he was wearing probably weren't going to provide much of a believable alibi for him hitting up the gym. Maybe they'd end up getting home before Rick did.

Carol couldn't help but admire what a good job he'd done in picking the place for them to eat at. The stone fire place and hard wood floors made the establishment beautiful in itself, but the candles on the tables, the pieces of art that lined the walls and the man playing piano in the back of the room made the place all the more lovely. "How'd you find this place?" She asked, as they waited for the waitress to bring them a menu.

"Hershel took Annette her once for their anniversary." He told her. He was feeling much more relaxed about this than he actually thought he'd be. He'd been so worried earlier that something was going to go wrong. That he'd mess up in some way and she'd never be able to take him seriously. But things were going well so far. The playful banter between them before they left the house had really helped ease his nerves. "She loved it. Talked about if for months after. I figured it might be something you'd like."

"It's very nice. You did a good job." She smiled.

He gave her a satisfied smirk in return, feeling quite pleased with himself at his ability to pick a good place for date.

Soon after a waitress came up and introduced herself. She took their drink orders and left them with two menus to decide on their meal for the night.

"There's so much I want. I can't pick just one thing." Carol sighed as she thumbed through the menu a third time

"Ain't you supposed to just order a salad or something?" He joked. "Girls are supposed to try to make a good impression on the first date."

"I'll have to find another way to make a good impression." She snorted. "Because this girl likes to eat."

He raised an eyebrow at her and they both let out a laugh at how dirty that sounded.

"Can't say I'd complain about that."

She bumped him with her shoulder. "Pig."

He went to bump her back, but accidently bumped the table in the process, sending her glass of water spilling down the front of her dress.

She shot up out of her seat, the ice cold water sending chill bumps down her skin.

"Fuck." He muttered. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." He snatched a wad of napkins out of the dispenser, lining the booth first to soak up some of the mess. Then standing to dab them against her dress and try to help dry some of the water.

She placed a hand over the one he was trying to dry her with and stifled a laugh, leaning her body into his and pressing her lips next to his ear. "Your hand is on my boob and people are staring at us. I'm going to run to the restroom and dry this off. I'll be right back."

He glanced around them and noticed several pairs of eyes on them. Some young kids. He slowly pulled his hand away from her breast and let it fall to his side. He could feel his face flaming and knew he had to be a shade of dark red right now. "Fucking idiot." He mumbled to himself. "Good job spilling shit on her, dumbass."

The waitress had shown up while she was gone. Cleaning off the table more and mopping the wet mess of the floor. She'd offered to move them to another table, but Daryl told her that wasn't necessary.

Carol returned with a noticeable wet spot on the front of her dress. He apologized three more times, but she repeatedly told him not to worry about. Assured him it was just water and that it would dry. It wasn't like it'd stain her dress or anything. She wasn't mad at him, though the feel of cold water spilling down her chest hadn't been a welcomed surprise. She'd known it had been an accident and she wasn't going to let it ruin her night. She wished he'd stop feeling so damn bad about it. "Barely halfway into the night and you already got me wet." She smirked, trying to lighten his mood. "Very nice, Dixon."

That earned her a grin in return as he looked up from his menu. "Told you, I've got a way with things other than just words."

She leaned in closer to him, peering over his shoulder at the item he'd been staring at on his menu. "You know what you want?"

He nodded. "You finally decide, too."

She glanced a few items down on his menu and nodded back. "I think so."

He was about to wave their waitress down when a familiar voice rang in his ears. One that he didn't know well enough to be able to pin point who it belonged to, but one he knew for sure he'd heard before. When he heard it again, asking someone if it could take their order he looked a few feet ahead to the table in front of them. There, only tables away from them stood a short woman with brown hair, brown eyes, noticeable sleeve tattoos and a nose ring. And it was a woman he knew. Well, sort of anyway. He'd slept with her before, though he was having all sorts of trouble recalling her name right now.

As he saw her turning around, he shoved his face behind his menu. Trying desperately to hide who he was in case she remembered him, too. The last fucking thing he wanted on his date with Carol was to run into someone he'd slept with before. What were really the fucking chances that this would happen tonight? First he spilled water on her. Now this? What else could go wrong tonight?

 **(I'll update again tomorrow night as long as I don't get tied up.)**


	43. Chapter 43

Carol quirked an eyebrow at him. His sudden strange behavior of burying his face behind a menu definitely struck her as odd. "What are you doing?"

"Just looking over the menu one last time. That's all." He muttered. Not bothering to pull his face out and look at her as he spoke.

She didn't buy that for a second. She crossed her arms over her chest as she leveled her eyes on him. Just waiting for him to actually look her in the eyes. "And did you suddenly go blind in the last twenty seconds?"

"This place ain't very well lit. I just wanna be thorough and make sure I ain't missing nothing."

Before she could call him out again on his bullshit, their waitress stepped back over to their booth. "Are you two ready to order now?" She smiled.

"Yes. I'll take the number 11, please." Carol told her, reaching over and handing the menu back to her.

"And you, sir?"

"Number 8's good." He replied. Still keeping his face hidden.

"Great choice. I'll get that in for you." She jotted down their orders and stood their patiently waiting for him to return the menu to her.

Carol gave her an apologetic smile. "Daryl?"

"Huh?"

"She needs her menu back."

"Oh." He sighed, slowly pulling it away from his face and reluctantly handing it back to the woman in front of him. "Sorry."

"He doesn't get out much. You've gotta excuse him."

The woman let out a small laugh at his strange behavior and Carol's joke. "I'll bring your order up as soon as I can. Is there anything else I can get for either of you?"

"No. Not right now. Thank you." Carol watched as the woman walked away and then she turned her attention to Daryl again. He now had one hand propped up on the table and was turned facing her, his face not visible to anyone else in the room. Her face contorted a bit. Trying to piece together what the hell had just happened and how they'd gone from having a nice time to him apparently not wanting anyone to see him with her. "What's wrong? Are you embarrassed to be seen with me or something? Do you not want other girls to know you're out on a date?"

His eyes shot up quickly to meet hers and he shook his head rapidly. "No. That ain't it at all."

"Then why are you trying so hard to hide your face?"

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Quickly glancing over his shoulder to see if the waitress he'd had that one night fling with was still in sight. When he saw her with her back turned to him he just motioned his head in her direction. "You see that girl over there taking people's orders. The one with all the tattoos."

She nodded. Feeling her stomach twist in knots, not knowing where this was going. The part of her that was still massively screwed up from being cheated on had her wondering if he was going to tell her he wanted to ditch her and go home with that girl. "What about her?" She asked him carefully.

He chewed at his bottom lip, not knowing how she was going to take this and feeling like it might fuck up the mood for the entire night. "I kinda fucked her once." He mumbled under his breath.

She kept her features even, not exactly thrilled by his admission, but not really hurt by it either. She wasn't really sure what she felt by it. He'd had a past before he met her. She'd had one before she met him. It didn't mean she would like seeing the face of anyone he'd had sex with before, because that just caused mental images that made skin crawl and filled her with the type of jealousy she was sure she shouldn't even be experiencing yet. But it wasn't like she had a right to get mad at him or the girl for it either. "Oh."

He studied her face carefully. Trying to read her and find some hidden meaning in her nonchalant response. "Oh?" He repeated. "That's it?"

"Well, yeah. I guess it is. I mean, we both know you were far from a virgin when we started hooking up. You have a past, and I can't fault you for that. It's not like you knew she worked here when you decided to come is it?"

"Fuck no! I don't even remember her name. Damn sure didn't know where she worked."

She made a face at that. Not certain if it made things better or worse. She was going to chalk it up to better, though. Because that meant he hadn't cared about her or wanted to see her ever again.

He noticed the way her lips poked out slightly when he said that and he wanted to smack himself in the face. He really felt like he was in way over his head here and that the perfect night he planned was going to end up down the drain. This was all so new to him. "Do you wanna go somewhere else? We can go anywhere else you want. We ain't gotta stay here."

She offered him a small smile and shook her head. "This place is beautiful. The food smells amazing. I don't wanna leave. And I was having fun until you decided to start playing hide and seek."

He smirked back and watched as a strand of hair fell in her face when she shook her head. He reached up and brushed it back behind her ears, keeping his eyes trained on hers the whole time. Once again, he found himself admiring how sexy she looked tonight. The way the candle light from the table flickered, illuminating her face and highlighting the dark blue flakes in her already deep blue eyes. He let his hand linger on the side of her face, feeling the thickness emerge in the air between them as the overwhelming urge to kiss her encompassed him. He licked his lip and flicked his eyes down to her lips. He leaned in, ever so slowly, wondering if this was an appropriate time to make a move and if she'd push him away like she had back at the house earlier. He felt a strange nervous sensation tingle through him, as if this would be the first time he was kissing her, though he knew in all actuality that he'd lost count of how many times he'd kissed her by now.

But she didn't push him away, instead she leaned in towards him, allowing her lips to meet his in a kiss that was soft and sweet, one that didn't demand anything more. It just conveyed the need that he had to press his lip against hers. And it was a need she readily gave into. One that had her humming in satisfaction against his lips, the corner of her lips turning up ever so slightly into a satisfied grin. She brought one hand up, snaking it around the back of his neck to bring him in even closer to her. Her chest tightened and she felt her breath catch in her throat as they stayed lost in that moment. Just the two of them. And she didn't want it to end, but knew they were in room full of people and that they couldn't remain tangled in a lip lock all night.

()()()

He hadn't even considered the fact that he might eventually run into someone he'd been sexually involved with while he was with her. Though their college town wasn't exactly all that large and he'd slept with a decent amount of women within a fifty mile radius. In retrospect he should've known it would happen eventually.

Seeing this girl tonight had initially put him on edge. It had him convinced that their night would be ruined. That the girl would recognize him and walk over to their table and either flirt with him or make some catty comment about the night they slept together. He'd had that happen before. Not while he was on a date of course, but while he was trying to get with some girl in a bar. Another girl he'd been with before had spotted him and walked over. She'd started talking about the time they were together and running her hand along his chest and asking him if he wanted to do it again sometime. The new girl he was talking too had given him a disgusted look and walked off. Then the other girl had given him an evil smirk and just walked off. And he hadn't fucking understood it either. Because the girl he'd been with before hadn't been after anything serious. In fact, she'd said she was just looking for a good way to blow off some steam from the stress of finals week and he'd been happy at the time to assist her. She'd called him Derrick as he was pulling his clothes back on and getting ready to slip out of her apartment. He doubted she'd even known his name that night she pulled that little stunt.

And to be honest, the waitress probably didn't remember his name either. But he'd still been worried about her causing a scene or her presence making Carol uncomfortable overall. He damn sure wouldn't have wanted them to run into her ex tonight. Seeing him would make Daryl feel jealous. Insecure even. Being left to wonder what she still felt for him. If a part of her still wanted him deep down. If this asshole was better than him. Bigger than him. And he didn't want seeing this woman to cause Carol any similar feelings. He didn't want her to question anything about herself or them because of someone else. Because in his mind, no one could compare to her in anyway.

But lucky for him, she hadn't seemed to be upset by this woman's presence. She'd been very understanding of the fact that she was something that happeed before he met her. And it hadn't done a thing to ruin the mood between them. In fact, they'd ended up sharing an intimate, tender kiss because of the talk that spawned from it. One that made his heart race and his palms sweat and his stomach twist.

And the rest of their evening was going smoothly. Very smoothly, in fact. They'd both ended up loving what they'd ordered and even shared a dessert. And though their dishes had long since been taken up, they still sat there in that booth enjoying each other's company well after there was no food left to each. Neither in a hurry to get back home. Back to pretending they were nothing.

Sometimes they'd just sit in comfortable silence and listen to the pianist play a tune. And Carol would bring up stories about many of the forced recitals she'd had to perform at over the years. One particular story of her intentionally playing the wrong song in high school to piss of her parents had Daryl cracking up.

Other times during the evening they'd engage in casual conversation. Nothing too deep or serious. Just things that helped them get to know one another better. And that's what they'd currently been doing. Going back and forth and exchanging different favorites.

"Your turn." He told her.

She pressed her lips together hard and looked up, trying to think of something they hadn't asked each other yet. "Favorite….movie."

He scratched his head at that. "Oh, that's kinda hard. Die Hard is a classic. Who doesn't love Bruce Willis? Uh, Lethal Weapon was a good one. The original Fast and the Furious move. But then there's Gran Torino, and it's got a badass car and Clint Eastwood. I guess I'd have to go with Gran Torino. What about you?"

"Sweet Home Alabama." She replied, without hesitation.

"Pfft. That's such a typical girl answer. Of course you pick a romantic comedy."

She raised an eyebrow and smirked at him. "How do you know it's a romantic comedy?"

He shrugged and sipped his drink. "Found it on TV one night. Thought it was about Lynyrd Skynyrd."

"Sure you did."

"Shut up." He mumbled.

She kept smirking at him and then racked her brain for another question. "Favorite vacation spot?"

"Easy. The mountains. Nothing but woods. You're in a cabin surrounded by peace and quiet. Plenty of shit to do if you get bored."

"I like the beach myself." She looked him up and down and her voice took on a suggestive tone. "But I could do the mountains, too. Just me and you in a hot tub in the middle of nowhere. I kinda like that idea."

"Sounds like a hell of a weekend." He replied, his voice low and gruff.

She leaned in closer to him and hummed. "It would be."

He took the opportunity to wrap an arm around her and he felt her head rest on his shoulder. He couldn't help but feel really happy with how well this evening had ended up so far.

"Your turn." She told him.

"Huh?"

"To ask me something."

"Oh, right. Um….Favorite kinda candy or sweets?"

She felt her mouth water just thinking about it, despite the fact that she'd eaten so much food tonight she could explode. "Homemade chocolate chip cookies. Fresh out of the oven."

"Mine's homemade peach ice-cream. Ain't nothing like a Georgia peach."

"That is good. I can make it sometime if you want."

"Hell yeah."

"Soon as we get some fresh peaches I'll make you some" She promised.

Just then the waitress walked up with the tab in her hand. "I hate to bother you two since it looks like you're still having a nice time, but we're about to get ready to close."

Carol pushed herself off of Daryl from where she'd been resting her head on him and sat up straight, looking around the almost completely deserted room. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize how late it had gotten. I guess we both lost track of time."

"It's fine. I hated to bother you two, you looked so adorable sitting there like that. But we've gotta get ready to lock up shortly."

Daryl felt his cheeks burn a little at the two of them being called adorable. What the fucking hell was that shit about? "It's all good. We need to get home anyway. Didn't mean to hold your table up or nothing."

Carol wasn't exactly ready for the night to end, but it was past ten now and they'd been here a really long time. She knew they'd have a good little ride home and decided she better go relieve her bladder before they made the trip home. She placed a hand on Daryl's shoulder and excused herself to restroom.

The waitress waited around as Daryl pulled out his card and handed it to her so she could run their tab. "So, how long have you two been together?" She asked, casually.

He gave her a look that must've said it was none of her damn business because she quickly jumped to explaining herself.

"Not that it's my business or anything. I just noticed you two tonight and thought you were really sweet. I can tell how much you like each other and it's refreshing to see a couple come in so into each other. So many people spend the entire night staring at their phone and barely say two words to each other."

He shifted uncomfortably, not exactly wanting to get into their semi compliocated situation with a complete stranger. "It's kinda our first date. But we've known each other a few weeks and been spending a lot of time together."

"Well, with seeing how well you two hit it off tonight, I'm sure there's gonna be a second. I hope you guys come back in and see us in six months on your anniversary." She winked at him and smiled as she walked away.

()()()

Carol quickly washed her hands after doing her business and made her way back out front with Daryl. He placed a hand on the small of her back as he led her out of the restaurant and they headed towards his bike. When they reached his bike he paused and pulled his cigarettes out of his pocket.

"You want one?" He asked, extending the pack to her.

"Share yours with me?"

He nodded as he lit his cigarette and then moved to place the pack back inside his rear pocket. He took a long drag, forming his mouth in the shape of an O and blowing smoke rings as he exhaled.

She took the cigarette from him and leaned against his bike, taking a drag herself and then pulling him by the collar of his shirt until he was pressed flush against her. She looked up, leveling her eyes with his and forming a seductive grin on the edge of her lips. "You're pretty sexy when you do that."

"You're pretty sexy all the time." He licked his lips and placed his hands on her side and letting them slowly fall from her rib cage all the way down to her hips. He pressed his hips further into her and leaned in, capturing her lips with his own in a hungry kiss. One much more demanding and passionate than they'd shared earlier.

She moaned against his lips from the sensation this kiss was sending throughout her body. Pure want and desire for him flooding her body to its very core. But it was late and she knew Rick was more than likely home and they couldn't get it on right here in the parking lot where anyone could walk by and see them. But he was sliding his hands further down and slipping them behind her, placing a firm grip on her ass and she was having a hard time concentrating now. Trying to resist the urge to rip the button up shirt he was wearing clean off him. "I don't usually do this on a first date." She joked, trying remove some of the spewing sexual tension festering between them at the moment.

"Yeah. Well, he does. In fact, he does a whole hell of a lot more than that." An angry female voice spat.

And that was just the recipe to break the spell they'd been under. Because Daryl quickly pulled his lips away from hers and whipped around to face the person making the comment. And he wasn't surprised to find it belong to that tattooed female waitress that he'd slept with once.

She turned her attention towards Carol, crossing her arms over her chest as she sent an angry glare over at Daryl. "Just a heads up. He's gonna try to fuck you. Maybe right here on that bike. Maybe in alley against a brick wall behind the club like we did the night we met. Since you're wearing a dress he probably won't bother to get you fully naked. He sure didn't bother going to the trouble with me since I had a skirt on. Just drops his pants, gets what he wants, then pulls them up and leaves. Then he'll just disregard you like you're no better than that used condom pulls off. You won't ever hear from him again. You'd think he'd have the decency to ask for your number after. Maybe offer to take you home or invite you back to his place for the night. But he doesn't. He's a selfish pig."

He was caught between feelings of extreme anger at this woman's outburst, horror and shame at the fact that Carol had just listened to this woman basically describe his sexual encounter with her, and a sinking gut feeling that the great date that they had was permanently ruined. And even some guilt and disgust with himself for realizing how bad it kinda did make him sound.

Anger was currently one of his over flowing emotions, though. Because this woman had no right to be pissed at him for what happened between them that night. She'd come on to him. She'd told him she wanted him. She'd been the one to take his hand and lead him in the back of that fucking alley and start unbuttoning his pants. And sure, he hadn't exactly gotten her number after or even made an attempt to hang around after their tryst, but she'd never given him any indication she'd wanted that. If she had he wouldn't of fucking slept with her in the first place. He'd always thought he'd chosen women who were looking for the exact same thing he'd been looking for. He had no idea some of them were genuinely pissed at him after.

The woman stormed off without another word, flipping him off as she did so. And he was left standing speechless in front of Carol. He let his head fall, unable to look her in the eye at the moment. "Let's go home." He muttered. He was left feeling like his past was going to bite him in the ass and fuck everything up.

()()()

When they reached the stoplight a few turns before their house they had to sit and wait because it was red. Carol took that opportunity to lean up and tell him something. Having to speak rather loudly over the hum of the bikes engine. "Can we go somewhere else? I wanna talk. Just the two of us."

He felt his stomach drop, automatically assuming the worst because of the earlier situation. "Where do you wanna go? One of the bars or something?"

"No. I wanna go somewhere quiet. Somewhere private. Can you take us to that field we talked in that one night?"

"Yeah. I reckon." He replied, with little enthusiasm. Dreading this conversation with all his being.

()()()

He pulled up at the old abandoned rec complex. Killing the lights on his bike as soon as they pulled in. He wasn't sure if they were actually supposed to even be out there and it was a hell of a lot easier to go unnoticed on foot than it was on the bike. They both climbed off and removed their helmets. Making their way towards the old ball field in a heavy silence.

When they settled side by side into the grass he turned to face her and gave her an apologetic look. "I'm sorry tonight got ruined. I wanted it to be perfect for you. Instead I fucked shit up. Without even meaning to."

"You didn't fuck anything up." She said softly. "I had a nice time with you tonight."

"I spilled water on you, I picked a fucking restaurant where one of my night stands works, then you had to listen to her bitch me out and describe how we got it on. That's pretty fucked up and it ain't the date I wanted to give you. It ain't the date you deserved. I had this whole plan in my head of how things would go."

She laughed at the irony she found in the end of his sentence. "Daryl, things don't always go the way we planned. My life damn sure didn't. But that doesn't mean that everything's ruined just because something didn't go how we thought it would."

He eyed her curiously, expecting her to be a hell of a lot more upset by tonight's events than she was. "Why ain't this bothering you?"

"I didn't say some parts about tonight didn't bother me." She correct quickly. "I could've lived without seeing that girl you fucked. I damn sure could've lived without her recounting the story of what happened and interrupting that make-out session we had going on. But that doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy the rest of the night. That I didn't like learning more about you. Finding out you're scared of heights. Learning that you can eat snakes and raccoon, but that you can't stomach boiled okra. Knowing you used to love _The Jungle Book_ when you were a kid and that you used to secretly wish wolves would find you and raise you every time you'd go out in the woods. Hearing you talk about saving baby squirrels and baby birds that had fallen out of trees when you were a little, though I find it somewhat strange you have no problem killing the adult version of those creatures."

"Only kill them for food." He muttered. "Circle of life."

She smiled at that and then cautiously reached down, grabbing his hand and gripping it in hers. "I get why you wanted tonight to go so well. Why you're so worried about the impact of seeing that girl and what she said will have on me. Have on us."

"I ain't sure you do."

"Oh, I think I do." She squeezed his hand tighter and looked him in the eyes as they sat in the dark field. Heat lighting in the distance illuminating the sky now and again. "You wanna show me that you're not who you were. Not the person that girl made you out to be. At least when it comes to me. You think that taking me on fancy dates, or maybe even buying me things, bringimg me candy, doing whatever it is that boyfriends are supposed to do. You think that's gonna make me ready to be with you sooner. That if I see you in a different light that I'll decide I'm exactly where you're at when it comes to all of this."

"Alright. Maybe you do." He relented, very impressed with how easily she'd read everything going on inside his head and even slightly freaked out that she was already able to do that. "You're pretty fucking intuitive. You know that?"

She reached up with her free hand and ran it along the side of his face. "I've told you before. None of me not being ready to be your girlfriend is about you. It's about me and my issues. I don't want you to feel like you have to earn my affection. At least not from dates or anything else that's monetary. I mean, I like those things, but they don't mean a damn thing at the end of the day. Not really. Your honesty with me does. The way you look me in the eyes when you tell me I'm beautiful and I can hear in your voice that you really mean it. The way you have to put your hands on me any chance you get. The way you protectively hold me in my arms while we're asleep. The way you kiss with me with everything you have. Letting me get inside your head and learning more about who you are and what makes you, you. Those are things that mean something when it's all said and done."

He chewed at his bottom lip as he listened to her talk. He could do those things she mentioned. Hell, he'd already been doing them and he hadn't even had to put much thought into it. But he still felt like she deserved everything else, too. He still wanted to be the kinda person who could give her everything else. "I didn't just take you out to make you wanna be with me, though. You know that, right? I also did it because I wanted to do something nice for you. Because I think you deserve it. And because you're the only person that I've ever felt was worth going to all that trouble for. Who I was before I met you, I reckon I ain't proud of some of the things he did. And I just want you to be able to see who I'm trying to be for you. Who you make me wanna be."

"I liked who you were when I met you, for the record. As a person, I don't think you give yourself half as much credit as you deserve. Maybe you weren't the ideal version of something I'd usually look for in a boyfriend, knowing your history and all. But I think that's okay, because I don't think I was so good at deciding what made a good boyfriend anyway."

"Maybe I just hadn't met the right person to show me I wanted to be somebody's boyfriend before I met you."

And as he looked deeply into her eyes she couldn't help herself as she threaded her fingers through the back of his hair, eagerly tugging his face closer to hers and bridging any distance between. She was fucking falling for him, bad. And she was falling hard. And there wasn't a damn thing she could do about it at this point. And as the kiss grew deeper she found him pushing her back until she was lying in the tall grass. And she was thankful for the temporary distraction from her feelings.

His body was hovering over hers as he compassed her into a fiery kiss, his fingertips traced the inside of her legs, slowly inching their way up under her dress. Moving his hand up higher and higher until it reached the thin, lacy garment she was wearing as underwear. And when she arched her hips slightly he knew she was begging him to keep going. And he gladly obeyed.

And thundered roared on in the distance, what they'd thought was heat lighting had actually been an approaching storm. But neither of them seemed to acknowledge its growing presence. Simply getting lost in one another as he explored the inside of her body with his fingers and she moaned softly against his lips.

And when the rain started pouring down swiftly and in heavy drops he finally caved in and broke the kiss. His body already soaked from the downpour by the time he pulled away from her.

"I don't care about the rain. Keep going. Please?" She begged, breathlessly.

And that's all it took for his lips to be on hers again and for his hands to return to workig their perfect rhythm on her that he'd so delicately mastered. Forget the rain. Forget the fact that they were going to go home soak and wet and muddied. And there was no reasonable way he could think of to explain that away. But it didn't matter in that moment. All that mattered was giving her what he knew she wanted. Even if it meant he got nothing in return.

( **This is long. I've been up all night. I'm sure there are hella spelling and grammar errors. My bad. I hope you can forgive them and enjoy. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Nighty night.)**


	44. Chapter 44

**Thanks to the reviewer that pointed out the mistake I made in the last chapter with Carol asking where the restroom was, despite her having gone there earlier in the chapter. I wrote half of the story one day and the other half in the wee morning hours another day when I should have been asleep. My brain wasn't quite working correctly and I didn't re-read the whole thing before posting. I went back and changed it. Here's another chapter to my never ending story. Haha, I'm kidding. It'll eventually come to an end…..I think =)**

He kissed her one last time after she came. Both of them laughing as he pulled away from her. The rain was still coming down heavily and both of their clothes were drenched and he had no doubt that her pink dress was ruined from lying in the now muddy ball filed.

He stood to his feet first, reaching his hand down for her and pulling her up next to him. A bright streak of lightning shown above them, illuminated the sky in a purple flash of light. It was followed by a loud crack of thunder. "Come on. We need to get the fuck out of here." He kept her hand in his as he took off towards the bike. Mud and water splashing from the puddles they ran through flinging up on their already dirty clothes.

"We can't go home like this." She protested as he let go of her hand and went to jump on his bike.

Another lightning bolt shot through the sky and was followed by another loud bang of thunder. "Ain't got no damn choice. Nowhere for us to go like this. Besides, it was your idea to stay out here in this shit." He gave her a half smile he wasn't even sure she could even see in the darkness of the storm. But in case she could he wanted her to know he wasn't really mad she'd wanted to stay.

"Rick's gonna wanna know why I left the house in a dress just to go to the clinic and then the gym. Not to mention the mud in my hair. Is there somewhere we can go just so I can change into my other clothes? Somewhere close?"

He let out a groan. He damn sure didn't wanna be on the bike driving in this shit. It was a recipe for both of them to get hurt and the sting from the pelts of rain hitting them weren't going to be pleasant. But neither was going home and explaining to everything to Rick either. "Get on the damn bike." He muttered, reluctantly. Hoping they'd get to the destination he had in mind in one piece and not end up getting hit by lightning or crashing into a tree in the process.

()()()

Though the drive wasn't terribly far, he'd had to travel much slower than normal to ensure both of their safety. And the rain beating down had made it hard to see almost the entire way over. He was pretty sure he'd even scared her a couple of times, because she'd clung to his waist so damn tight her fingernails were digging painfully into his skin through his shirt. It was times like this when he really thought about investing in a car or truck to have on a hand. Or maybe he should just start checking the damn weather in the future. But despite the fact that they were soaking wet and risking danger, he couldn't find it in him to regret their decision to stay in that field in the rain.

But now that they reached their destination he found himself eager to get inside where it was dry. He flung his helmet off, snatched his key out of his bike, and waited as Carol grabbed her bag from under his seat, then grabbed her by the hand and led them both running to the front door.

He dipped his hand into his front pocket, snatching his keys out and bringing them up to the lock in one swift motion. As soon as he heard the click of the door signaling it was unlocked he ushered her inside, following right behind her and locking the door back immediately.

Carol surveyed her surroundings, noticing how strangely eerie the place looked at night and without people in it.

"Follow me." Daryl nodded to her.

She looked down at her feet, noticing the small puddle that had formed where she stood from her dripping clothes. She also didn't miss the tracks of mud on the wood floor that they'd both brought in with them. "Hershel is going to kill us both. Look at this mess."

"I'll clean it before we leave. You wanted to change. Now, come on."

She followed behind him closely as he led her through the empty clinic. As they made their way through the surgery room she could hear the dogs in boarding barking and howling, clearly noticing the presence of someone else in the building. "Is he gonna be mad if he finds out we're here while no one else is?"

Daryl snorted at that and shook his head. "Course not. He trusts me. Wouldn't have a key if he didn't. He knows I wouldn't come here just for nothing and that I ain't gonna fuck with anything while I'm here."

He closed the surgery door behind them and walked into the grooming area. He opened another door and flicked on a light, revealing a large bathroom. One with a small walk in shower. It had a detachable shower head and no door or curtain for privacy, but it was still a shower.

He looked over at her and gestured towards the shower. "You can wash off in here if you want."

She cocked an eyebrow at him. "Do you bath dogs in there?"

He just shrugged. "Not often. Sometimes if we get really big ones we can't put in the tubs.. We use it sometimes if we get really nasty or get covered in too much blood." He pointed to a small shelf that contained hotel sized bottles of shampoo and conditioner and unopened bars of soap. He pulled a few strands of grass out of her dripping hair, then reached down and brushed her muddied arm and grinned slightly. "You should get a shower. You're pretty disgusting."

"Asshole." She mumbled, shoving him playfully.

He caught her arm, pulling her against his chest. He leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to her lips. "It's kinda hot. You being all dirty like that."

She grinned against his lips. "You might as well be a damn sour patch kid. You know that?"

He hummed and released her arm. "I'll be whatever the fuck you want me to be if that means you'll put me in your mouth."

She let out a laugh and shook her head at that. "And you think I'm dirty." She tossed her bag to the side and leaned in to switch the water on. She decided she'd probably be better off cleaning herself up some. Though that still didn't solve the issue of Daryl's clothes being a little dirty, though he hadn't gotten as messy as she had since he wasn't the one laying in the grass.

"I'm gonna go grab you a towel. I'll be right back."

"Bring a couple." She called out as he went to leave the room. She slinked herself out of her dress, holding it up in the light to examine the damage as she waited on the water to get warm. The pink fabric was now stained brown and she thought it was a shame because it had been one of her favorite dresses. But thinking back it was worth it. Completely worth it.

"Why do you need more than one damn towel?" He asked as he walked back into the room with three, clean white towels in hand. When he instinctively shut the door behind him his eyes immediately popped up as her saw in his peripherals. Noticing the now completely naked woman in front of him. "Fuck." He muttered, dropping the towels to the floor. He ran his eyes up and down her, still mesmerized by the sight of her despite how many times he'd seen her naked by now. The fact that he hadn't waited around in the rain to see if she was going to return is earlier favor wasn't helping his thoughts right now.

"Did you think I was gonna bathe with my clothes on? She chuckled.

He shrugged, not taking his eyes off of her. "Just wasn't expecting you to be naked when I got back."

She licked her lips and stepped closer to him. Reaching out and slowly unbuttoning his wet shirt that was clinging to him in all of the right places.

He raised his brows at her, feeling his breath quicken as she didn't answer him and continued working the buttons of his shirt. When she finally freed the last one she peeled the garment off of him. Then reached down and unclasped the button on his jeans and working them off, too.

"Get in with me?" She slipped her fingers under the waistband of his boxers and bit at her bottom lip.

She didn't fucking have to ask him twice. He eagerly nodded and kicked his jeans off that were hanging around his feet then tugged his boxers off. Almost busting his ass in his haste to follow her in the shower.

()()()

The warm water was still trickling down on them both and he planted a kiss on the back of neck as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "Now, Hershel might have a problem with us doing that." He mumbled against her soft skin.

She whipped herself around to face him, panic settling into her face. "Does he have cameras back here, too?"

He just chuckled and moved his hands to down to rest on her hips. "Not in the damn bathroom."

"Yeah, but if he has them in grooming he can still see we came in here together and didn't come out for a long time."

"He only has cameras in treatment, his office, and at the reception counter. Besides the ones around the building outside. Don't worry about it. Besides, this was your damn idea, too. Just like the field."

"I didn't see you objecting. You were a willing participant both times." She pouted.

"Damn right I was." He grinned.

She grinned back and leaned up to kiss him, but the ringing of a phone stopped her. "That yours?"

He shook his head. "Mine's on vibrate."

She reached up and cut the water off and then moved to get out of the shower. She grabbed one of the towels he dropped on the floor and dried off quickly, then moved to her bag and pulled out her phone that was still steadily ringing. She looked down at the caller ID and cursed when she saw it was Rick. Cursing even more to herself when she saw what time it was.

She reluctantly accepted the call, halfway being afraid he'd show up outside knowing him if she ignored it.

 _"_ _What's up bro?" She tried to answer casually._

 _"_ _Where are you at? I tried to call Daryl's phone but he wasn't answering." Rick replied on the other end of the line._

 _"_ _We're uh, we're still at the clinic."_

 _"_ _Why the hell are you still there?"_

 _She paused and began pacing as tried to think of a believable lie._

 _"_ _Carol? Are you there?"_

Finally one hit her. _"_ _Sorry. Service is a little off because of the storm. He had a lot of things to show me. We just lost track of time and then it started raining so hard and we decided to wait it out. We wanted, just uh, wanted to be safe." She pulled the phone from her ear and pressed the speaker phone button so Daryl could hear him, too. She was hoping he'd be able to jump in if she felt stumped._

 _"_ _That was probably a good idea. The roads were pretty bad when I was on my way home. Do you want me to come get you two? It doesn't look like it's gonna let up for a while."_

 _She looked over at Daryl, trying to decide if they should just let him come get them or he wanted to make to wait things out. If Rick showed up before they had a chance to get the mess they made moped up then he'd be asking all kinds of questions._

 _"_ _Nah, man." He jumped in. "I don't wanna leave my bike overnight. The rain sounds like it's let up a good bit compared to what it was. We'll head that way in a few."_

 _"_ _Are you sure?"_

 _"_ _Yeah. I appreciate it, though. We'll see you soon. Okay?"_

 _"_ _Alright. Y'all be careful."_

She ended the call and sighed heavily, running her hands through her damp hair. The lying was getting exhausting already.

Daryl wrapped his towel around his waist and walked up beside her, noticing the new tension in her mood. "I don't like lying to him either. Makes me feel like a giant piece of shit."

"Yeah." She muttered. "Part of me feels wrong for it. Part of me feels annoyed that he'd just get upset if we told him the truth anyway. Even though we're both adults. It's a no win, either way."

"If you wanna tell him, we can."

She just shook her head solemnly. "Not yet. Okay? You know where I stand on that."

He just nodded in return. He knew from their earlier conversation not to push her. When she was ready she'd be ready. He gathered up both of their wet clothes. "I'm gonna bag these up and see if there's an extra pair of scrubs here and a shirt I can fit in."

"What are you gonna do with those?" She pointed in the shower at the condom wrapper and used condom laying on the tile.

()()()

He'd found a shirt that fit and some scrubs that were a little baggy but would do and put them on. When he walked back to where she was he found she'd already changed into her gym clothes. The rain had decreased down to a light drizzle and they'd decided to go ahead and try to go home once they'd moped the floors. They'd made it back safely, yet not being able to completely avoid getting wet again on the ride home. They had to leave their dirty clothes stuffed under the seat of his bike for the night not to arouse suspicion from Rick.

After he parked his bike under their carport he stopped in place, standing directly in front of Carol. He had something he needed to say before they went back inside. "I'm glad we did this. I know the night was kinda crazy, but it was good. And I wouldn't change any of it for nothing."

She looked up at him and smiled. "Yeah, me either. You're a pretty decent date."

He nervously ran a hand along the back of his neck as he pondered his next question. It shouldn't make him nervous. Especially not after how the night ended, but it still did. Because dating and sex were two different things and she might not be up for another intimate outing any time soon. And even if it was stupid, he still feared her rejecting his request since she made it clear she still wasn't ready to be his girlfriend. "You uh, you think we could do this again sometime? You know? Go out somewhere together?"

She detected the slight hint of nervousness in his tone as he asked her and she found it endearing how he seemed to revert back to some awkward teenage boy whenever topics like this came up. "If you're asking me if I wanna go on a second date with you the answer is hell yes." She watched as relief flooded his face and the corner of his lip turned up into one of this sideways grins of his. She formed one of her own and crossed her arms over her chest, giving him an expectant look. "Are you gonna kiss me goodnight or not."

He cautiously glanced over to the living room window and then the front door to make sure he didn't see any sign of Rick lurking on them. Once he felt like the coast was clear he leaned down and placed a quick kiss on lips before they walked inside.

()()()

"It's about damn time y'all got home." Rick said, as he watched his sister and best friend finally stroll through the front door.

"Sorry father. I should have called you to let you know I wouldn't be out past eleven. I know how strict you are on curfew" She teased, as she plopped down beside her brother. Ignoring her damp clothes for the moment since she knew their couch was leather and it wouldn't hurt it.

He glared at her clearly unamused by her banter. "You think you're pretty damn funny. Don't you?"

"I don't think, I know."

He just rolled his eyes at her and then something caught his attention that had him shooting quick glances between them both and looking perplexed. "Did y'all not wear helmets or something?"

"We wore our fucking helmets." Daryl grunted. "You do sound like someone's damn daddy."

"Then why's your hair wet? Both of yours?"


	45. Chapter 45

Rick turned and looked over at Daryl, raising his eyes brows as he motioned his hands up and down, gesturing at his current wardrobe. "And why are you wearing work clothes?"

Carol erupted into a fit of nervous laughter that had both men turning to look at her. "That's a really funny story, Rick. Really funny. Isn't it, Daryl?"

Daryl narrowed his eyes on her. Unsure of what the fuck she was doing and not exactly sure what to say. "Yeah, fucking hilarious." He muttered, letting her take the lead

Things grew quiet and Rick glanced between them again. "So, what exactly happened that's so funny?"

"Well, see, Daryl was trying to show me to do that thing where you squeeze the dog's butt."

"Anal glands." Daryl corrected.

"Right. That. He was trying to show me how to clean their anal glands, and uh, I was having a hard time getting it and then out of nowhere, bam! They just start squirting everywhere and it gets all over my face and in my hair. It was disgusting. I almost threw up."

Knowing how horrible that actually smelled from living with Daryl, Rick grimaced at her story. "So, what? You just washed your face and your hair in the sink or something?"

Daryl knew Rick didn't work at the clinic, and therefore more than likely didn't know about the shower, and he actually felt it would be a lot less suspicious if he didn't know to factor that detail in. So he decided to jump in. "Yep. I had to help her wash her hair and everything. It was sick."

"So, how'd your hair end up wet then?"

"He fell!" She added quickly and enthusiastically. She felt proud of herself for thinking on her feet so quickly.

"Onto the tile floor? That made him need to wash his hair?"

"The tile floor that the dog pissed and shit on while I was helping her wash her hair." He added. "Left him hooked to the clip and he made a huge fucking mess. Was gonna have to wash the smell off of him next. Busted my damn ass. That's why I'm in my work clothes. Ruined what I had on."

Rick's face was skeptical at best. The story sounded far-fetched. But he couldn't honestly think of another reason to explain their wet heads and Daryl's fashion choice away. And he'd heard far stranger, even more disgusting tales from Michonne, Daryl and Maggie about things that happened at work. It wasn't completely unbelievable. Unlikely at best, but not unbelievable. "Sounds like an interesting night. Anything else worth mentioning happen?"

Carol glanced over at Daryl, briefly meeting his eyes and a small smile she couldn't suppress lined her lips. "Nothing you'd be interested in. It was just a night full of learning experiences."

"How about your night with Michonne?" Daryl asked, hoping that turning the attention on Rick would distract him from any other questions he had about their night.

"Um, it was interesting, too." He chuckled.

"Tell us about it."

 _***Flashback to dinner with Rick and Michonne***_

 _"I'm telling you, I love my mother, but if I had to spend one more night in that house I was going to become a raging alcoholic."_

 _"Come on, it can't be that bad."_

 _"She had three blind dates set up for me while I was there. Three! One of them was my high school English teacher."_

 _Rick chuckled at that. "Did you go on any of the dates?"_

 _"I had no choice. She forced me. My English teacher was my date for her birthday party."_

 _"Oh. Awkward."_

 _"He grabbed my boob. Said he was trying to reach past me for some salsa. Nuh uh. There was full cuppage there. It was disgusting." She grimaced and stuck her tongue out at the memory._

 _"Sounds like real charmer. How old is he anyway?"_

 _"Old enough to be my father." She reached out and grabbed a tortilla chip, dipping it into some salsa and taking a bite. "How was your weekend? Must've been wild if you slept until almost eleven."_

 _Rick's face flushed and his heart sped up. Daryl had told him to be honest with her, but the thought of her getting upset with him had his stomach churning. He was enjoying her company right now and the night had just begun. He didn't wanna ruin it. He just shrugged. "Nothing special. Went downtown with Daryl."_

 _She rolled her eyes at that. "He was on the prowl? It's been a while for him."_

 _"Something like that."_

 _"That has to get old for him. He's a great guy. If he'd settle down I think he could make a decent boyfriend."_

 _Rick's brows shot up at that. A tinge of jealousy shooting through his veins. "Do you like Daryl or something?"_

 _She laughed hysterically at that. "Oh my God, no. Dixon's a cutie and all, but he's not my type. I just meant for someone. He'd be a decent guy for someone, that's name is not Michonne, if he'd ever settle down."_

 _Rick ran his hand across the rim of his glass. "Withdrawn, womanizing, broody red necks aren't your type. Old high school English teachers aren't your type. What is?"_

 _She pursed her lips. "Based on my past, undercover drug dealers. According to my mother since I didn't like any of her date choices, women."_

 _"As hot as it'd be to see you with another girl, I don't think that's your preference. I remember you and Maggie going to Chip and Dales after your break up with Mike."_

 _"You've been hanging around Daryl too long." She chuckled._

 _"Maybe." He laughed. And as he stared in her eyes, watching that radiating smile of hers grace her face, he felt the air grow serious. His realization about how he felt about her hit him hard and he felt like maybe he was ready to finally move on from Lori for good. And she was the person he wanted to do that with. "What is your type, Michonne." He asked nervously. "What do you want?"_

 _She grew quiet, extremely quiet. And her eyes trailed away from his and landed on the table as she nervously twirled her thumbs. She took a breath and forced the next words to leave her lips as confidently as possible. "You know. Someone kind and smart. The kinda guy who loves his family, even if he shows it in a completely overbearing and ridiculously over protective kinda way. Someone who's been hurt before and knows how it feels, so you know he's not going to put you through that same kinda hell. A guy who can rock a pair of tight blue jeans. He'll probably have pale skin and bright blue eyes, curly brown hair and a scruffy beard. He'll probably live with his sister and maybe his roommate will even work with me." She lifted her head up slowly, looking into his eyes as she spoke her next sentence. "And he's probably been right in front of me this whole time and he probably doesn't even feel the same way, but if I kept that inside for one more second I think my head might explode."_

 _Rick's head was swirling in that moment. Michonne liked him, too. How long had she felt this way? Why hadn't she said anything before? Why hadn't he realized how he felt sooner? Why the fuck did he sleep with Jessie this weekend? If he told her this was going to fuck everything up. If he didn't tell her and someone else did it would probably ruin their friendship on top of any chance of something happening between them ever. He should tell her how he felt and then be honest with her about the weekend. That made the most logical sense. "Michonne, I….I..." His tongue became twisted and the words wouldn't come out. Guilt and regret over powered logic. "I slept with Jessie Friday." He blurted out._

 _Her face dropped, she looked like she'd been punched in the gut. "Jessie? Jessie that worked with me? That Jessie?"_

 _He hung his head and nodded shamefully._

 _"This is all Daryl's fault isn't it?" She barked. "You told him I said it was time to move on and he just swooped in and decided he could finally convert you to the dark side. That moving on meant going and sticking your dick in the first girl that would jump on it. You know, that's so typical of him."_

 _He could have placed the blame on Daryl. He could have thrown him under the bus. She'd believe it was his idea. Maybe it would even get him off the hook. But this wasn't Daryl's doing. It was his own. And no matter how much he wanted Michonne, he didn't want a relationship built on a lie. And he didn't wanna sell out his best friend just to have her. "This wasn't Daryl's fault."_

 _"Please. Maybe he didn't hold a gun to your head, but hooking up with someone you barely know. That isn't you, Rick."_

 _"No it isn't. But it's who I was this weekend. I asked Daryl to go with me. He didn't even wanna go." He ran his hands through his hair and sighed heavily. "I don't know why I did it. I didn't know what I wanted. I was sick and tired of moping around about Lori. I wanted to feel something again. Anything other than feeling broken and betrayed. And everyone kept saying it was time for me to move on. Everyone, including you."_

 _"I didn't mean for you to move on like that." She added quietly._

 _"No, you didn't. But I didn't know what you meant. I had no idea you felt this way. I didn't even know I did. Not really."_

 _She eyed him curiously. "What way do you feel?"_

 _"I like you, too, Michonne. A lot. And I didn't even realize it until I woke up the next morning. It didn't feel right waking up next to her. Nothing about if felt right. I realized I made a mistake. Then I got your text and I started feeling guilty. Like I'd wronged you somehow by sleeping with her. Even though we never had anything going on. And I realized I felt that way because you mean something to me. You have for a while now and I've just pushed it out of my mind because I was scared. I never meant to hurt you, Michonne. I'd never do anything on purpose to hurt you. I'm sorry. I felt so awful the next day and then I talked to Daryl. He told me to come clean with you and be honest about everything. You just kinda beat me to the punch on telling you how I felt. I got nervous and chickened out._

 _Michonne took a deep breath. It was a lot of information to take in at one time. She placed her hands on the table, almost bracing herself from the news thrown at her. "I don't know what so say, Rick."_

 _"I don't either. But, you needed to know the truth. I didn't wanna lie to you just to get what I wanted. It wouldn't be right. Even if we weren't together, I still feel like it's something you should know."_

 _"I do appreciate your honesty. It's not what I wanted to hear, but it's what happened. And you're right. It's something I needed to know."_

 _"Does this, does it change how you feel about me?"_

 _She gave him a weak smile and shook her head. "I was pining after you when you were with Lori and that didn't change how I felt about you. It's not that easy to shut your heart off to what it wants."_

 _"You've liked me that long?"_

 _She nodded. "A while now."_

 _"Wish I'd have figured that out sooner."_

 _She shrugged. "You wouldn't have been ready. Like you said, you didn't know what you wanted. You were hurt."_

 _"Yeah. Yeah, I guess you're right." He reached across the table and grabbed her hand in his and squeezed it gently. "But I know what I want now, and I really hope it's not too late."_

 _She gave him another weak smile and squeezed his hand back. "Let's see how tonight goes. Take things one step at a time. I'm not in a hurry to be another notch on your bed post here. I'm not gonna be your re-bound girl. And I don't want you to wake up tomorrow thinking things are weird with me, too. We're too good of friends for that."_

 _"You won't be." He told her softly. "But I get it. We'll take this slow."_

 _***End of Rick and Michonne flashback***_

 _()()()_

During Rick's account of his night he'd greatly short-handed things to Daryl and Carol. He left out the part where Michonne mentioned Daryl would be a good boyfriend and the part where he got a little jealous about it thinking she'd like him. He wasn't sure how Daryl would feel with them discussing something like that about him behind his back.

"So, you and Michonne? You two are a thing now?" Carol asked once he finished his story.

"We're something. We held hands at the movies. She let me kiss her on the cheek goodnight. She wants to go slow, and I'm okay with that. I think she's right. I mean, I get that she doesn't wanna hop in bed with me after she heard I just hooked up with some other girl."

Daryl was sitting quietly after the end of Rick's story. Michonne blaming him for Rick hooking up with Jessie stung a little, but of course he was the most likely scape goat for that. And he knew it was easier on her to blame him than to think Rick had actually made a decision like that on his own. He knew she didn't hate him or anything. And he was happy for Rick. He liked Michonne, he thought she was a hell of an upgrade from Lori. But if he was being honest with himself, he was a little jealous. Jealous that Rick could home and talk to them about his budding relationship and they were expected to be happy for him, yet if they were to admit what they were to him it wouldn't be well received. "I'm glad things worked out for the best tonight. Michonne's a good girl and I really hope it works, man." He tapped Rick on the shoulder and then stood up. "I'm gonna go smoke. I'll be back inside in a few."

"Thanks man." Rick watched as Daryl walked away and then turned his attention to his sister. "Are you cool with this? Me and Michonne?"

She chuckled. "Yeah, I like Michonne. But even if I wasn't, it wouldn't matter. You don't need my approval."

He shrugged and put his arm around her. "I know. But your my sister and what you think matters."

"Well, if it's that important, she has my stamp of approval."

"Thanks." He kicked his feet up on the coffee table and breathed a sigh of relief. "You seem really happy tonight." He pointed out. "Did you have that much fun earlier?"

"Yeah, I did. I really like." She stopped herself, wishing more than anything she could share her night with her brother and the fact that she was hopelessly falling for his best friend. But she wasn't ready to do that yet. It was still so early and so much could end up going wrong and make things between them fall apart. She swallowed hard and forced herself to cough up another lie for the night. One that wasn't exactly a lie, per say, but wasn't the truth of what she wanted to say in that moment either. "I really like my job. I can see things really working out for me there."

"I thought you wanted to go back to school? I thought this was temporary so you could make some money."

It was her turn to shrug. "Maybe I wanted that when I moved here. But maybe that's because I was lost and didn't really know what I wanted. It makes me happy, Rick. It makes me feel safe and secure and good about myself. And maybe I need that right now."

She spoke with such passion that he knew that right now wasn't the time to push her on the matter. His sister had been happier in the last few weeks than she'd seemed to be in a really long time. And if that job meant this much to her then he wasn't going to ask her to step away from it or push her on the issue. "If you're happy then I'm happy for you. I just like seeing you like this again."

()()()

Carol had gotten up and gone to her room and Rick was left on the couch alone. Daryl still hadn't come back in from his smoke break. Rick eventually stood up and made his way on the porch in search of his friend. He found him leaned back on the deck, a cigarette in one hand and his phone in the other. He quickly put his phone to the side at the sound of the back door sliding open.

"What's up?" Daryl asked, moving himself into a sitting position.

"Nothing." Rick replied, taking a seat on the steps beside him. "Just checking on you. You've been out here a long time."

Daryl shrugged and took a drag off of his cigarette. "Felt good out here. I've always liked the way it is outside after it rains."

The loud chirping of frogs could be heard everywhere and that fresh rain scent was still hanging in the air. Rick inhaled deeply, appreciating the smell himself. "It'd be a good night for frog gigging."

"Hell yeah it would. You think your sister would fry us up some frog legs?"

"Not a chance in hell." Rick chuckled.

"Reckon I'll settle for some of that blackberry pie she's gonna make."

Settle. That word rang in Rick's mind like a church bell. Michonne had said Daryl would be a good boyfriend to someone if he settled down. And there was a part of Rick that thought maybe she was right. He was good friend. A hard worker. When he dedicated himself to something he saw it through and gave it his all. He had a lot of good qualities about him. He was just so closed off. Rick wasn't sure he was capable of really opening up to someone. He wasn't sure he was capable of leaving his lifestyle behind. He seemed to enjoy it so much. "Do you ever want more?" He wondered aloud.

Daryl cocked an eyebrow at him. "More pie? I don't know, I ain't even had any yet. I guess I might if it's as good as she says it is."

"Not pie, dumbass." He muttered. "You know, more like as in a relationship. More than just all that casual sex you have. Doesn't that get old? Don't you ever wanna find something real?"

Daryl shifted uncomfortably and took another hit off of his cigarette. A burning sensation was eating him alive. Telling him to be honest with Rick. To admit he'd found it and that it just happened to be with his sister of all the fucking people in the world. But he choked that desire back and buried it deep down. "Suppose I ain't exactly the kinda guy that goes looking." He cleared his throat and tossed the cigarette on the steps, quickly stomping it out. "But if it ever found me, well, I ain't gonna run from it either"


	46. Chapter 46

When Daryl woke up the next morning he quickly hopped out of bed and darted for the shower. Lately he'd developed a bad habit of sleeping later than he was supposed to. Most times it happened it was because Carol had stayed in his room that night. He didn't understand why, but his internal clock didn't seem to work very well when she was in bed next to him. It was like his mind and body didn't wanna move from the comfortable position beside her.

But last night she hadn't been sleeping beside her. Instead, he'd stayed up late texting her. He knew it was kinda stupid since she was right across the hall. But he knew they'd both been lucky enough not to get caught on their secret date and by getting Rick to believe the story about their wet heads. He didn't feel like chancing them falling asleep together by accident and waking up to Rick seeing that. No fabricated story could deflect suspicion from that. No matter what kinda crazy concoction they might try to whip up. He didn't find Rick buying it. And he wasn't sure sneaking Carol out his window and trying to pass off her barefoot running story would work again.

It was almost comical to him. Thinking he'd spent half his night texting a girl he literally saw every single day and had spent hours alone with earlier. He was normally a quiet person. He found he didn't care to have long conversations with most people. He was more the type of person who enjoyed doing things rather than sitting around talking. He never sent more than a few texts to anyone. Usually to ask a question or corroborate plans. But with Carol, he couldn't stop talking to her. It was like he wanted to learn every damn thing about her. And he'd learned a lot last night. A damn lot. Her favorite color, how she pissed her pants on her first day of school because the teacher walked out the room and told the students not to move until she got back and she'd been scared she'd get in trouble if she went to pee an the teacher got back before she did, how the first time a boy had ever kissed her she freaked out and quit talking to him, how Rick went through a phase where he liked to spike his hair in middle school and how she'd put super glue in his hair gel.

And he'd told her things too. Things he was sure no one else knew. How he broke his arm because he fell out of his neighbor's apple tree stealing apples, but he'd lied and told his old man that he fell off his bike because he thought he wouldn't get his ass beat as bad. And how wrong he'd been about that because he still got the shit beat out of him with a cane pole because his dad was pissed about how much the hospital bill had been. He told her about how one time Merle pissed in his bed because he got mad at him for eating a candy bar he had under his pillow so he got mad and put rabbit shit in Merle's can of dip and that Merle used the whole damn can and never found out. How when he was in third grade some little girl had tried to hold his hand and ask him to go to the Valentine's Day dance with her and that his first response had been to snatch his hand away and push her in a muddle puddle and then run away.

But he was paying for all that talking this morning, because he'd slept through his first alarm again and he knew he was going to be running late for class. He hadn't been thinking about it last night, but he still had to run by the library this morning to print something out for school. And the library was a good walk from the building all of his classes were held in.

So he'd gotten a quick shower, brushed his teeth, and hadn't bothered to dry his hair that morning. He darted off towards the kitchen to grab a bottle of water and a Poptart so he could be on his way. But the savory aroma coming from the kitchen had him slowing his pace a little. And as he walked in the kitchen and saw Carol and Rick sitting at the table he spotted where the sweet smell was coming from. A steaming blackberry pie was sitting in the middle of the table and the siblings were already digging into it.

He saw Carol looking up and giving him a small grin. One he quickly returned without even thinking about it. "You cooked pie for breakfast?"

"I did. I was in the mood for something different. Sit." She motioned to the chair next to hers. "Have some pie. I already have a plate ready for you."

"It's fucking delicious." Rick mumbled with a full mouth.

He glanced down at the pie, wishing like hell he had to sit down and eat some of it but knowing he had to get going. "I can't. I gotta go to the library before class. It smells good. Save me a piece for when we get home this evening."

"It won't be as good when it's not fresh. Just one piece so you can know how good it really is in case it tastes like crap later?"

He gave her an apologetic look. He knew she'd been excited about him trying it, but he really didn't have time. Telling her no about anything, even something as simple as pie, was already hard for him to do. He was going to be fucked when it came to her. And when she gave him a pitiful look that made her look like a wounded puppy he decided to come to a slight compromise. He reached down and grabbed her plate, picking up her piece and taking a large bite. "Holy fuck. This is good."

He went to take another bite and she grabbed it out of his hands, taking the next bite herself as she waved a finger in his face. "Nuh uh. No sir. This is mine. Get your own piece."

He grinned at her, noticing how some of the filling was on the side of her face near the corner of her lip. Without thinking, he stepped towards of her and licked it off, brushing his tongue along the side of her lip as he did so.

The sound of a metal fork clanking on a ceramic plate had both of them turning to look at Rick, who was wide eyed and had his mouth gaping at them.

"What the fuck was that!" Rick demanded.

"What was what?" She tried to play it off innocently.

"That! With the….with the eating after each other." He grimaced as he looked at his sister. "And the….the licking. Daryl just licked the side of your face! You licked the side of my sister's face! Rick turned and looked at Carol. "And you…I'm your flesh and blood and you don't even eat after me. You never eat after anyone."

"Come on, Rick. Eating after someone is not a big deal. That's just something I was weird about when I was younger." She replied nervously. She knew Rick was right. She hated eating after people. Their parents had been strict about them not eating or drinking after anyone and it being unsanitary, and that had always stuck with her and been a pet peeve of hers. But it didn't seem like a big deal when it came to Daryl. After all, she let him put his tongue in her mouth any chance she got. Among other places.

"Okay. Eat after me then." Rick barked as he pushed his piece of pie towards her. "Go on ahead. Take a bite." He crossed his arms over his chest as he waited.

"Okay." She challenged. She reached down and grabbed his slice, taking a large bit and staring him down the entire time. Internally it was driving her insane and she had to force herself to swallow. "See. Yummy. No big deal."

He still stared at her disbelievingly. "Even if you eat after people now, it's still weird you licked her." He pointed to Daryl. "Something's not right."

"Come on, man. I was just trying to be funny. It ain't no big deal. I'd have done it to anyone."

"Never seen you do something like that before."

Carol looked at him pleadingly and he groaned to himself. The fucking things he'd do for this girl. He dipped his finger into the side of Rick's pie, smearing some of the filling on the side of Rick's face. Hoping like hell he didn't get punched in the face for what he was about to do.

"The fuck are you…" But before Rick could finish his sentence he saw Daryl lean in next to him and felt the wet, slimy feel of Daryl's tongue slide across the side of his face. He jumped back out of sheer surprise and looked up Daryl, once again wide eyed and mouth slightly gaping open. He quickly wiped the side of his face with his shirt and glared at his friend. "What the fuck was that?"

"I was just making a damn point. Would've done the same to you. It was meant to be funny. Ain't anyone around here got a fucking sense of humor? Damn!"

()()()

Rick was quiet on the way to drop his sister off at work. Too quiet. He hadn't said much else that morning at the house either. Daryl had left for class shortly after and Rick had gone to wash his face and change shirts and they'd left right after that. Carol wasn't exactly sure what he was thinking, but it made her nervous. Extremely nervous. Silence was more dangerous than anger in her opinion. It meant Rick was having time to think about any other odd behavior he might have noticed between the two. And as he pulled into Hershel's clinic, she knew she was up shit creek when Rick pulled into a parking spot and moved his car into park instead of pulling up to the front door to let her out.

Rick turned to meet his sister's eyes, letting his voice grown stern. "What happened this morning, well that was weird as hell. Coming home on Easter and seeing you cuddled up to Daryl on the couch, well that was weird as hell, too. The barefoot running. Coming home with wet heads and that story. None it makes much sense. And I've asked you both together if something was going on between you two. If you're sleeping together. Now you both told me no. And I'm trying like hell to believe you. I really am. And I asked Daryl after that, when it was just me and him at the pool hall, and he told me the same thing. He said nothing was going on then, too. But now, well now I'm asking you. Brother to sister. I'm asking you, Carol, is there something going on that I need to know about?"

She should tell him. She knew she should. She felt so guilty. She knew that if she told him the lying could stop. But he seemed so mad at the house when he demanded to know what was going on. And he didn't exactly sound happy now. What if he made her move out because of it? What if he made Daryl move out? What if stopped being friends with him because of it What if it ruined her own relationship with her brother? What if he decided he couldn't trust his own flesh and blood and that made him decide he couldn't trust Michonne or anyone else. Rick was finally ready to move on, and it was with someone he really liked. She didn't want that to get fucked up for him because of something she did.

She couldn't tell him. Not yet. She would. She and Daryl would do it together. When she decided she wanted to be his girlfriend they would go to Rick together and tell him they had feelings for one another and wanted to be together. He didn't need to know the rest. Not yet. Maybe not ever. It would do more harm than good. For everyone.

She inhaled deeply and forced her voice to be steady and confident. Like she'd be with a client if she knew something bad about their pet's health but couldn't tell them because Hershel hadn't talked to them yet. "Rick, there's nothing you need to know."

"You and Daryl…"

"Daryl and I are close." She admitted. "We get along very well and we've bonded. But there's nothing you need to know about us. You don't need to worry. Okay? Please stop obsessing about it. I'm fine. I'm better than I've been in a really long time and I don't want you worrying about me. Daryl might have slept with a lot of women, but he's a good guy. He's been really good to me."

Rick swallowed hard and nodded. As weird as things were, as crazy as he felt to ignore everything in front of his face, he had to let it go. They both told him together and separately that he didn't have anything to worry about with them. If he couldn't trust those two, who could he trust? Lori and Shane had fucked him up so bad he supposed he couldn't see two people of the opposite sex hanging out without thinking they were banging. Maybe they just developed a sort of brother/sister relationship. And she had a point. Daryl had been really good to her. He helped her get a job. He was spending time with her and teaching her things so she could advance at that job. He got punched in the eye keeping some asshole from getting even more out of line with her than he already had. If anything, he should feel better when she was around him. He should be happy that he knew he could trust someone else with his sister.

()()()

Though Daryl's morning had started out shitty between him fucking up and giving Rick an open invitation to suspect something between him and Carol and ending up being late for his first class and getting embarrassed by his professor in front of the whole class, at least his work day was going good.

The dog that came in the Friday of Easter weekend for not eating was finally getting to go home after its extended vet visit. It was now eating, drinking and fully back to normal and ready to get back to its family. He loved cases like that, ones where they worked hard and kept pushing for the animal even when things seemed grim. It reiterated his life motto to him. No matter how bad shit is, you can't give up. You gotta push forward, even when you think you can't no more. It's how he'd made it to where he was today.

For all intents and purposes he should be back home in the mountains of north Georgia living with his asshole father and working in his garage. But he wasn't. He'd made it out. Despite statistics, despite the struggle, despite being told he wouldn't. He was here. He was the first Dixon to ever go to college. And now he was hell bent on becoming the first Dixon to form a functional relationship with a woman.

He walked up beside Carol at the check-out counter that afternoon to tell her that Daisy's owners could check out and he'd be up with the dog and their medicine shortly.

She looked at the woman and small child on the other side of the counter and smiled pleasantly then looked back up at Daryl and leaned up next to his ear. "Which Daisy Smith is this?" We have three here today?

He was standing behind her when she asked and he let out a small laugh as he leaned down over her to be able to reach the computer. He rested his free hand on her shoulder as he scrolled through the names on the screen and finally landed on the one he was looking for. "It's this one. The boxer. The one that was checked in right before Easter."

She instinctively reached up and covered his hand with hers and gave it a little squeeze. "Thanks. Don't know what I'd do without you."

He smiled back at her and the sound of the mother and little girl giggling had him looking in their direction.

"I'm sorry." The mother offered with an apologetic smile. "We just think you two are really cute together. Have you been together long?"

Carol's face fell and she looked up at Daryl. Was the fact that something going on between them really that obvious?

Daryl looked over and noticed Tara and Annette looking at them expectantly. Shock and amusement written on their faces. "I…we…..we….ain't together."

"Oh. My mistake. I'm sorry. You two just seem very close. With the hand touching and the smiling and all."

"We're roommates." Carol clarified. "Good friends and roommates. That's all." She could feel all eyes on her and she knew her pale skin had already turned a bright shade of red.

"I'm gonna go get Daisy now while Ms. Grimes finishes checking you out." Daryl turned to bolt for the door, noticing Hershel standing in the doorway of an exam room and grinning at him before he headed back to the safe confines of treatment.

()()()

A little before closing when the lobby was almost entirely cleared out Maggie walked up to the check-out station Carol was at. She looked over at Tara. "Can you handle the front by yourself for a few? I need to speak with Carol in daddy's office."

Tara nodded.

Carol raised a brow at Maggie. "Am I in trouble? Is this about the comment that client made to me and Daryl earlier?"

"Just come with me for a minute."

Carol did as she said and followed Maggie into Hershel's office. She had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. She knew Maggie knew she'd slept with Daryl and she seemed to actually want her and Daryl to be a thing. But she worried that comment might have landed her in trouble with Hershel, she knew some business didn't want people who were involved working together.

"Am I in trouble for something?" Carol asked bluntly. Not wanting to beat around the bush if there was an issue.

"No. You're not in trouble." Maggie chuckled. "I just think I found something that belongs to you."

"What?"

Maggie reached into her pocket and pulled out a plastic bag. One that contained a pair of lacey pink underwear. "I found these in the bathroom that's next to grooming."

Carol's jaw dropped and her eyes grew wide.

"Oh, and this." Maggie reached into her pocket and pulled out what appeared to be a small yellow piece of plastic. But in all actuality was the corner of a condom wrapper.

Carol folder her arms down over her chest and began stammering. "I…that's….why would you think those belong to me."

"Well, they aren't mine. After knowing how Michonne's date with Rick went I'd be willing to bet they aren't hers. My step mom can't get pregnant so there'd be no need for this." She held the condom wrapper up. "Only a few people have keys to this building and out of those people I'm willing to bet Daryl would be the one to have sex here."

"That doesn't mean that he had sex with me here."

Carol, come one. I already know you've had sex with him before. I know he didn't have sex with anyone when he went out with Rick. You said yourself that counted for something. It's okay. I'm not mad that you guys did it here. I just thought you might want your panties back and that you should know you two should be more careful next time. Besides, I could pull the tape and see who he came here with. No sense in lying to me about it."

She was almost certain her day couldn't get any more embarrassing and that she'd be permanently cherry colored from now on. "Give me my damn panties back." She mumbled.

Maggie tossed her the bag and shook her head in disappointment. "You can keep having sex with him all you want and think feelings aren't going to get involved, but you're wrong. I know Daryl, and I've never seen him look at anyone the way he looks at you. He's crazy about you, Carol. Don't hold him at arm's length for something he didn't do. You're punishing him and yourself by doing that, and neither one of you deserve it. Someone's going to get hurt in the end."

Before Carol had a chance to say anything else Maggie quickly maneuvered around her and headed out of the room to finish out her work day.

 **(Thanks to everyone still reading and those of you taking time to review. I know y'all are probably ready for Rick to find out. He's gonna find out at some point. Trust me. And it won't take 40+ more chapters for it to happen.)**


	47. Chapter 47

Almost two weeks had passed by since that night that Daryl had confessed his feelings to Carol. And during that time they had spent every minute that they could together.

A lot of that was time was regulated to being spent in the confines of their home to avoid being seen together in public. And they'd actually been able to spend a decent amount of time together alone at the house thanks to Rick and Michonne's budding relationship.

Rick had spent the majority of last weekend hanging out at Michonne's place. Hell, he even spent a good amount of time during the week at her place after work. Sometimes she had even ended up at their place. She'd stay for dinner and a sometimes a movie. But they hadn't spent a night together yet. Rick had told him that they were still taking things slow and seeing where this was going. Rick seemed okay with that, though. In fact, he seemed very okay with it. The guy was happy, happier than he'd been in a really long time.

And Daryl was happy for his friend. He really was. He felt like Rick deserved to be happy. The guy had been through enough hell. He deserved for things to go well with Michonne. Despite the fact that he considered himself to be a shitty person these days with all of the lying and deceit and what not. He really did care about Rick and hated the fact that they were keeping something so huge from him. He was consumed with guilt knowing how many times he and Carol had both lied to him and played him for a fool.

He and Carol had even resorted to doing nice little things for Rick to try and help appease their conscience. She'd cook his favorite meals and wash his clothes. Daryl had washed his car three times already. He'd even waxed it the last time he washed it two days ago.

All the random acts of kindness in the world couldn't right the wrong of the lies they'd told. But they didn't exactly know what else to do for now. Maybe it should be simple to come clean to Rick. But things aren't always as easy as they seem.

Things were good with him and Carol. Really good. He liked her more and more every day, if that was even possible. She was like this puzzle piece. One had hadn't even know he'd been missing before he met her. She could make him smile at the end of his shittiest days. Hearing her voice and seeing her face each morning instantly put him in a good mood at the start of his day. Each time he kissed her it was still like taking a hit off of the best damn drug he could ever imagine getting his hands on. She made him happier than he'd ever been in his entire life.

Telling Rick how he felt about her, telling Rick the truth about what they'd been doing, that came with the risk of knowing he wouldn't accept it. That he wouldn't deem him to be good enough for his sister. That he couldn't forgive him for lying. The deeper he got into his feelings for Carol, the more he realized that it just might cost him his friendship with Rick. Even if they didn't come clean about everything, even if he just told him how he felt about her, Rick might not be okay with it. And at the end of the day, as much as his friendship with Rick went to him, being with Carol meant more. She meant more to him than he'd ever imagined another person could. Especially one he'd only known a little over a month.

He'd always thought it was stupid to put a girl above one of your friends. Whenever he'd seen Rick defend Lori to anyone when they were dating he hadn't understood his mentality. Women would come and go, but real friends were hard to find in his opinion. The next piece of ass was waiting for you at the bar. But, Carol, she was so much more than that to him. She was everything he never knew he wanted or needed. And even if she hadn't told him she was ready to be with him yet, even if they were still doing this whole friends with benefits with potential thing, he was willing to risk his friendship with Rick on that potential turning into more. If, or when, it came down to being told he had to choose between their friendship and Carol, he was going to choose her. Even if it made him a horrible person, she meant that much to him.

But for now, he didn't wanna have to make that choice. He didn't wanna have to pay the price for all of the lies. He wanted to have his cake and eat it, too. So, he was still going to keep this from Rick until the day came that he couldn't anymore. Whether that day was when Carol came to him and told him she wanted to be his girlfriend, or whether it was the day they finally got caught in another lie again.

Because both he and Carol mutually decided they couldn't look Rick in the eyes and lie again. The next time he asked either of them if something was going on between them they had decided to tell him the truth. And because of that decision they'd been a hell of a lot more careful. They'd both become way more observant about their behavior in public together. Especially in front of Rick. And even in private they'd learned to cover their tracks better to prevent suspicion. After Maggie confronted Carol about the used condom rapper and her panties they'd been sure to do more thorough sweeps of any area they had sexual activity in after.

The last thing they needed was Rick finding a condom rapper in the kitchen or Hershel finding one at the clinic. Hell, they'd been lucky enough last time that it had been Maggie to find that stuff. And maybe they should keep those activities to one of their bedrooms, but he had a damn hard time exhibiting self-control when she was concerned. And apparently she had a hell of a time refraining when it came to him, because she was always seemed to be running her hands all over him and trying to rip his clothes off first chance she got, too.

Luckily, their efforts to pay more attention had paid off so far and everyone could he happy in the moment. The day was coming this was all going to blow up in both their faces, and he knew that all too well. But for now, all he could do was bask in the fact that he was happy, and that for now his best friend was living in blissful ignorance and was happy as well.

And thanks to Rick's new found happiness with Michonne and the fact that he'd be spending his weekend with her once again, it meant that Daryl was going to enjoy some blissful ignorance of his own this weekend. He was going to get to take Carol out on a second date. And he was going to enjoy it and pretend for the night that they were two normal people, normally dating and getting to know each other and that they weren't in a complex, giant shit storm of his own doing that was going to effectively fuck up life as he knew it.

()()()

Rick was getting ready to head over to Michonne's for the evening. Last weekend he'd taken her out to eat again and they'd gone to the local skating rink. She'd mentioned the fact that she hadn't been since she was a teenager and would like to go some time. He'd taken that idea and ran with it, thinking it would be some grand romatic gesture, and the next day they'd both been sore as hell and bruised. She'd told him that meant that she got to pick what they did this weekend, because she wasn't up for walking around with sore ankles and bruised knee caps the rest of next week. He'd laughed and told her whatever she wanted to do was fine with him. She'd decided on cooking them dinner at her apartment and renting a few red boxes.

Rick felt a little nervous about tonight. He and Michonne had been taking things slow like they'd talked about, but they were getting closer each time they hung out and things were starting to get a little heated whenever they were alone the last two days. Michonne's roommate was going to be gone all weekend and he knew they'd have the apartment to themselves and the temptation would be there.

He decided to have a little chat with his best friend before he left for his evening with Michonne. He hoped maybe Daryl could help calm his nerves a bit.

"Can I talk to you a minute?" Rick asked Daryl as he stepped out of his bedroom and into the living room.

Daryl looked up at him and gave a slight nod. "What's up?"

Rick glanced down the hallway and saw his sister's bedroom door open and her light on. He didn't want her to over hear them. "Can we go on the back porch? I kinda need to to talk to you about something man to man. "

Daryl followed Rick outside, feeling slightly nervous about the serious tone in Rick's voice and his need for privacy for this talk. He tried to rack his brain for any clue he could have given Rick to his relationship with Carol, but he was drawing a blank. "What's going on, man?" Daryl asked cooly once they were alone on the porch.

Rick ran a hand through the back of his hair and let out a sigh. "Do you remember that problem you told me about you had a while back?"

Daryl looked at Rick quizzically. "What problem?"

"You know? That problem you had. You told me about it a few weeks ago."

Daryl stared at him, confusion etched on his face. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"The problem that's the reason you haven't been sleeping with women lately. The one you're taking medication for."

Daryl was about to tell him he didn't have a fucking clue what he was talking about when it suddenly hit him about the conversation he had with him outside of the club that night and exactly what reason he'd given him for why he couldn't get with that girl. "Oh, um, yeah. That." He cleared his throat as he shoved his hands in his pockets and started shifting on the balls of his feet. "What about it?"

"I was just wondering what your symptoms were? How long it took you to know you were, uh, infected or whatever." He nervously ran another hand along the back of his neck as he glanced down at the deck.

Daryl creased his brow. He had no fucking clue why Rick would be brining this up. Unless…."Why you asking me about this? Are you, are you like having problems or something?"

"No! No! Not at all." He paused and scratched his chin for a minute. "Well, my balls kinda itched the other day, but it was hot and I was sweaty and that happens sometimes. And they were kinda sticking to places."

Daryl grimaced at that mental image" Then why even ask me something like that, man?"

"I just….Michonne and I….I think we might end up taking that next step tonight, and it not then it's gonna be sometime soon. I just…I don't wanna put her at risk or anything."

"Well, use a condom if you're worried. You should wrap that shit up anyway. You don't want no damn kids no time soon."

"But you said you used a condom and still got something!"

Fuck. Fuckity, fuck, fuck. He had said something like that. He was trying like hell to appease Rick's mind and let him know there was most likely nothing to worry about without having to tell anymore lies. How the fuck was he supposed to do that now. "Listen, man, if you're that worried then maybe you should go to health services and get checked. It's free. But I don't think you got nothing to worry about as long as you were safe then and you're gonna be safe now. If it's time and you're ready, don't not go there because of me or something I said."

"Yeah, but I just don't want…."

Damn it. Good job with all your lying, asshole. Now it's affecting other people's lives. He exhaled deeply and shoved his hands in his pockets as he prepared to come clean to Rick about the lie he told about the STD. "Rick, listen, I need to tell you something…."

Before he could finish listening to what Daryl was saying his phone started ringing. "Hold that thought." Rick said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone to see who was calling. When he saw it was Michonne he quickly hit send and answered it.

Daryl stood beside Rick as he listened to his conversation. Awkwardly bringing his thumb to the side of his mouth and chewing his cuticle.

"Sorry about that." Rick turned his attention back to Daryl after he ended his call. "Michonne wanted to know if we had any lemon pepper seasoning. She ran out. So, what were you saying?"

Somewhere during that phone call Daryl decided that it was going to ruin Rick and Michonne's night as well as his and Carol's if he told him about his lie. "I think you worry too much. That's all. Go have a good night with Michonne and whatever happens, let it happen and just make sure to be safe. Don't let a bad decision I made fuck your night up."

()()()

Not long after Rick left Daryl and Carol headed out to go on their second date. He hoped that this date would run a little more smoothly than the first. It had been sunny all day, barely a cloud in the sky, so they shouldn't have to worry about rain. There shouldn't be any ex-sexual partners for them to run into. And they even wouldn't have to drive far away this time.

Daryl had a simple date planned. One he was honestly a little worried she might laugh at him for. It was a large contrast from the fancy restaurant they'd been to on their first date, and he was sure as hell it was nothing like any date her ex-boyfriend had taken her on. But it was one he'd put a lot of thought into, one that honestly reflected the person he was better. He just hoped like hell it was good enough for her.

He'd made her a promise to close her eyes the entire ride there. He wanted her to be surprised when they finally got there. He hadn't really thought she'd keep them closed the entire way, but apparently she had. Because when his bike finally reached a stop and he switched it off he heard her asking him if she could finally open her eyes.

He peeled his helmet off and rested it on his handle bars as he stood up and went to remove hers. "Go on and open them."

When she felt him pull the helmet off of her head she blinked several times as she her eyes scanned the familiar environment around her. "Are you trying to get us caught?" She hissed.

He chuckled at that. "Relax. No one is here. And they won't be until Sunday evening. Hershel and his family went to their lake house for Beth's birthday? Everyone, including Maggie and Glenn, they're all gone."

She raised her brows. "Hershel has a lake house? How much money does he have?"

"Enough to have all this." He motioned his hand from the house, to the barn, to the field in the distance. "Plus a pretty decent place on the lake with a boat."

"No wonder he pays you so good." She teased.

"He pays be good because I'm worth it." He grinned. He grabbed her by the hand and pulled her off the bike towards him. Her face only a few inches from his now as her chest was resting flush against his own. "This ain't some big fancy date, it ain't some real nice restaurant that's gonna serve us fifty dollar steak. I'm gonna be honest, I made what we're gonna be eating and it probably tastes like shit, but it's something I worked hard to plan and I hope it ends up being decent enough for you."

She wrapped her hands around his waist and looked up at him and smiled. "I just like spending time with you. I don't care where we go or what we do. Whatever you have planned is gonna be just fine."

()()()

They' gone horse-back riding at first. Getting out on the same hose that they'd both ridden together on back on Easter. After they finished their trot through the woods it was getting near sundown. Daryl had walked over to an old refrigerator in the barn, one that looked like it could have easily been from the fifties, and he'd retrieved a cooler. He then reached beside the refrigerator and picked up a back pack, quickly tossing it on over his shoulders.

"Where are we going now?" She looked at him curiously as she felt him grab one of her hands in his as he carried the cooler in the other.

"You'll see. You just gotta trust me."

She held onto his hand as he led them through a path in the woods, one that eventually led to a pond with a small dock. He walked them to the edge of the dock and she watched as he let go of her hand and placed the cooler down then took his back pack off. He began opening the cooler and pulling out plastic bags and two thermoses.

He looked up at her, almost apologetically, fearful that his homemade sandwiches and lemonade wouldn't be good enough. He held up one of the plastic bags as he crouched into a sitting position at the end of the dock. "Ain't much. Just some ham, mustard and cheese. No mayo, I know how much you hate that shit. Got some chips in the cooler. Sour cream and onion ones, bbq, dill pickle, the plain kind, salt and vinegar. Lemonade in the thermos. Ain't really homemade, just the powdered stuff, but it tastes good. Sprung for the name brand shit and everything."

She listened to him as he rambled nervously about the meal he'd taken the time to prepare them. The wind was blowing and his bangs were swaying lightly in the breeze. He was wearing a cut off shirt that perfectly accented hi arms and a holey pair of jeans. To be honest, she wasn't dressed much nice. Just a tank top and some jeans of her own. He hadn't told her much about this evening. Just to make sure she dressed comfortably and that it's something she might be able to tolerate the heat in.

Their first date had been a whirlwind to say the least, but she'd enjoyed it and had really good time despite all of the unplanned events. It was a night she'd never forget and she wouldn't change it for anything. But this, she wouldn't change this either. Because being with him outdoors, being with him around animals, he was in his element out here on the farm. He was somewhere he was comfortable. Somewhere he was at peace. And it was something he loved that he chose to share with her. And being on this dock with him, over-looking the water as the sky was streaked in magnificent shades of pink and purple as the sun dove behind the horizon, well she couldn't think of too many things more romantic than this.

Then there was the fact that he'd taken the time exhort all of this effort. To make those sandwiches and pack that cooler and bring all of this stuff out here ahead of time. That meant more to her than any amount of money he could have spent on food.

She leaned up and pressed a kiss against his lips, cutting off any more of his ramblings. Her hand brushed along the side of his face as she pulled him closer to her, begging him to deepen the kiss. His hands moved from their resting place on the deck and slowly slid up to her thighs, giving them a firm squeeze as his tongue danced with hers. When they finally broke apart for air she ran her fingers through the side of his hair and grinned at him. "This is perfect. I love it."

 **(Things are finally moving forward! We're on the downward slope of this story now, barreling towards the end. Not sure when it will come, but I at least know we're on the path towards it. There are some regrets I have with decisions I've made so far concerning certain things, but I hope that it's still enjoyable. I promise, I'm my own worst critic. This is just me feeling the need to explain dissatisfaction with some things in my own writing. Thank you to everyone reading and for all of my wonderful reviewers.)**


	48. Chapter 48

Carol sat on the edge of the dock, her feet dangling freely above the water, while Daryl was positioned behind her holding her in his strong arms. The sun had dipped down behind the horizon, replacing the pink and purple streaks that lined the sky with a pale blue color that would fade into the blackness of night soon. Yet, though she knew night skies were fast approaching, she had no desire to leave. She felt like she could stay right here in his arms all night.

She was struck by how deeply she felt for him in this moment. How, little by little, over the last two weeks she'd slowly been falling down this slippery slope in regards to her feelings for him. Falling harder and faster each day. With each moment she spent with him every reason she'd tried to give herself not to keep falling this fast kept slowly slipping from her reach.

The walls she'd tried to build up, her guard that she'd promised herself she wouldn't let down, those defenses had begun to crumble almost as soon as she put them up. If not from the moment she'd gone to his room that night he'd confessed his feelings for her, they'd definitely started to crack on that first date he'd taken her on.

It wasn't like she hadn't tried to keep them up. She'd wake up every single day and mentally scold herself for getting more and more attached to him so fast. For opening up to him and letting him know so much about her. But he just made it so easy. So damn easy.

She'd even tried to rationalize with herself about it. She tried to remind herself that things with Ed had been great in the beginning, as well. That she'd been swept away on a whirlwind of emotions that clouded her overall vision of who he really was. That he'd wooed her with the right words, expensive dates to places she'd never been before, places she'd never dreamed she'd go. She tried to think back to how he'd sent flowers to her every Friday once upon a time. How he lavished her with gifts and expensive jewelry those first few months they'd been dating.

But as much as she tried to compare the situations, they weren't the same. Not in the least. If she and Ed had ran into someone he'd been intimate with before her on a date, the man wouldn't have batted an eye. He damn sure wouldn't have felt compelled enough to tell her about it and let it make him feel bad. Hell, even worse, she used to catch him nonchalantly checking other women out when they went out together. Even when they first got together. She should have taken that as a huge hint of things to come back then.

Then there was the difference in the overall ambience of her relationship with Daryl compared to her relationship with Ed. At first he'd lavished her with fancy restaurants, he'd taken her on about every cliché tourist destination she could think of, Broadway plays, always being sure to end the night in some upscale night club popping opening the fanciest bottle of wine he could afford. Anything he could think of to throw money around and look like a big shot. He'd gone out of his way to try and impress her. And as an eighteen year old who'd been away from her small town and her family for the first time and never experienced any of those things, it really did impress her. Especially when you considered the fact that she hadn't ever had a real boyfriend before. Nothing to compare their budding relationship to. And he wasn't an ugly man, he didn't have the same breathtakingly raw sex appeal Daryl had, but he'd been attractive enough. Those things swept her off her feet and caused her to be disillusioned with him. She'd quickly mistaken the amount of money he'd been willing to spend on her for the amount that he cared about her.

It was different with Daryl. They didn't go out and do extravagant things. They'd hang out around their house. Talking, watching shows together, or even sitting next to each other in silence enjoying each other's company while they each did their own thing. Stolen moments together on the back porch alone when Rick was home. Night time walks that led to their secret escape that was the old baseball field where they'd kiss and talk and look up at the stars. Going to the athletic complex and working out together. He'd even started waking up early and joining her on morning runs. Dinner nights with Rick and Michonne or evenings at the pool hall with their friends where they had to keep their distance and be sure not to bring attention to their secret affair.

Daryl didn't strike her as the kind of guy who would ever have flowers and chocolates delivered to her for seemingly no reason. He wasn't going to randomly bring jewelry to her because he'd been an asshole the day before and he was trying to make up for it without actually having to say he was sorry. He wasn't going to find the most expensive, flashiest place to eat and take her there the next time they went out.

Daryl was the kind of guy who'd sit up half the night with her listening to her talk. Really listening to what she had to say, not just absentmindedly giving a half nod to her as she spoke. He cared about knowing the person she'd been growing up, who she was now, who she wanted to be. He was the kind of guy who'd come to her if he'd done something he felt was wrong and own up to it. Asking for forgiveness that she could tell in his voice he didn't think he deserved. He was the guy who would go to the trouble of trying to plan out something like this when he could have just driven them somewhere to eat in the next town over.

He gave her his time. He was letting her get to know him. Who he really was. And that meant more to her than any gift Ed had ever given her during their entire relationship. He let himself be vulnerable with her, and he made her feel safe enough to be vulnerable with him. She'd told him more about her family, about how her step-mother made her feel, in the month she'd known him than she'd told Ed in the entire first year of their relationship.

And though Ed seemed satisfied to know she wasn't going to be states away from him and out of his sight, he hadn't understood the pain she'd felt behind her reasoning in not going home. He hadn't offered the comfort Daryl had offered to her that night on the porch she and Rick fought about her not going home for Easter. He'd quickly shifted the focus from her internal struggle onto wanting sympathy for how stressful he'd felt at work lately and how he had problems of his own, too. Ed had, even from the beginning, been self-involved and self-serving.

Daryl wasn't, not with her anyway. Maybe he'd been self-serving with those other women. Only going after instant gratification and dropping them like flies after. But that's not how it had been with her. Not even from the beginning.

And as much as she told herself that Maggie had been right. That had to admit that Daryl wasn't Ed, that the two weren't even comparable when it boiled down to it, late at night when she was alone in her room, doubt and fear still reared their ugly heads and prevented her from agreeing to be his girlfriend. They prevented her from coming clean to Rick and everyone in their life. This devil on her shoulder kept telling her that time could change things between. That he could get bored with her and change his mind about what he wanted. That the wonder of sex with her would get old and he'd crave someone new. His feelings had come on so fast, was it possible they could disappear or change as quickly? She wished there was a switch she could use to turn those thoughts off. To permanently block them out. But it wasn't that easy. She just hoped they'd go away with time. Because she'd never wanted anything more than she wanted this to work out with him. And that thought was terrifying.

()()()  
Daryl was holding her tight in his arms when he noticed how quiet she'd grown. She hadn't said anything in a long time and she was distantly staring off into the pond like she had some deep thought swirling around up in her head. He tightened his grip around her and placed a gentle kiss on her neck. "Stop." He muttered against her skin.

The feel of his lips moving against had her breaking out of her thoughts and instantly lined her skin with chill bumps, despite the warmth of the spring night. He had that effect on her any time his lips touched any part of her body. She sucked in a deep breath and let out a low laugh as she leaned her head back and let it fall next to his. "I'm not doing anything."

He hummed at that. "You're thinking about something. Something that's bothering you. Being quiet and staring off is my thing. Not yours. You don't do shit like that unless you're thinking."

"You don't know me." She scoffed.

"I know you better than you think I do." He replied, grabbing her and pulling them both back until they were lying on the dock. She let out a squeal that had him smirking at her as he positioned himself on his side so he could look at her face, resting on an elbow and propping his head in his hand. "I know you used to dream that alligator's lived under your bed and you'd wake up afraid to get out of your own damn bed." He reached down and pulled her shirt up, placing a kiss on a scar on her lower right abdomen and then looked up and met her eyes. "I know that last summer your appendix ruptured and you had to go to the hospital alone because you're sorry piece of shit ex-boyfriend said he was staying late at work to get caught up that night and when you tried to call him he wouldn't answer his phone because he was too busy sticking it to that receptionist of his that he ended up knocking up. I know you were scared to death because you were alone and you'd never had surgery before. I know that every damn time you see a kitten or a puppy come into the clinic your face light's up like the fourth of July and you squeal about how damn cute it is and ask the owner to hold it. I know you're patient, and kind, and strong willed, and independent as hell, and more damn hard headed than that brother of yours which is saying something."

She couldn't help but smile, finding it endearing how much attention he really did pay to her when she talked to him. How much attention he paid to her. She couldn't help but chuckle at the last part, knowing both she and Rick were pretty strong minded and hard headed at times. But Daryl didn't exactly have room to talk when it came down to those things. In her opinion, he gave her and Rick a run for their money in those departments.

He pushed her shirt up more and trailed kisses up her abdomen, stopping just below her right breast. He rested his head there and met her eyes once again. His voice growing soft and tender. "I know that you say clowns and spiders scare you more than anything else, but what you're really most scared of is what you're feeling for me."

She swallowed hard, knowing he was exactly right, not wanting to admit it. Not wanting to change how wonderful this night had been by getting into some deep conversation with him about their feelings. Not wanting to hurt him and tell him she just still wasn't ready yet. "Daryl, I.."

He cut her off, leaning up and capturing her lips with his. "It's alright. We ain't gotta talk about it right now. We ain't gotta change nothing right now. I ain't going nowhere."

She bit at her bottom lip as she stared into those captivating blue eyes of his. Wishing more than anything she could just push those fears aside for good, but knowing she couldn't. "You're a surprisingly patient man, Daryl Dixon."

He grinned at her. "You wanna catch the best fish in the pond you gotta sit around and wait for it to come to you, right? Smart fish don't just jump at the bait the second you throw it out. They gotta make sure it's worth it before they take the risk."

She shook her head at him. Only he could compare this situation to fishing and compare her to a fish. But at least he'd given her two compliments by calling her the best fish and a smart one at that. She clasped her hands around the back his neck and pulled him down to her until her face was inches away from his. She leaned up and moved her lips against his and when she pulled away she sighed deeply. "I wish we could stay here like this all night." It was getting darker and she knew they'd have to head back soon.

He reached across her and grabbed his backpack that was lying on the dock. It was a camo green tactile backpack. It had everything he needed if he ever ended up being stranded somewhere. A snake bit kit, small knives hidden on the sides of the pack itself. Flashlights, a life straw, canteens, waterproof matches, a small .45 hidden on an inside compartment with a box of bullets. But none of those things were the reason he'd brought the pack to start with. He reached inside and pulled out an eno hammock, pillows, and a blanket. "Thought we could camp out here. If you wanna."

She cocked a brow at him. "What about Rick? He's gonna freak out if he comes home and we aren't there."

"Rick ain't coming home tonight."

"How do you know that?"

"Talked to him before we left, he's pretty sure him and Michonne are, uh, gonna get a little serious tonight."

"Just because Rick thinks that's gonna happen doesn't mean that she's gonna be ready for that even if he tries something."

Daryl shrugged. "Maybe it don't. But I heard her telling Maggie something at work about it and asking her if she thought it was a good idea. Said she shaved and everything."

Carol grimaced at the mental image of her brother having sex with anyone.

"So, you wanna stay here tonight or you wanna go home? Either way, it's just you and me tonight."

She couldn't remember the last time she'd been camping, and none of those times had ever been under the stars. What the hell, it sounded like a lot of fun. If they couldn't sleep they could always pack up and go home. "Yeah…yeah, let's stay here for the night." She reached out and grabbed the pack, curious to what all he had in there. "This some kind of survivalist pack?"

"Mhm. It's got everything I need in it."

She grabbed a flashlight out of the side of it and began exploring the contents. She paused when she reached one item in particular he had stuffed in a small front pocket. She looked at him amused. "Really?"

He knew exactly what was in that pocket, he'd put it there himself earlier today. He gave her the most innocent look he could muster as he looked down at the condoms she was holding out in her hand. "Always gotta be prepared. Those might come in handy."

 **(This really has no point other than the fact I was in the mood for something kinda fluffy and I also wanted to explore where Carol was at in her head. I'll try to update tomorrow night or Friday. If I don't before then it will most likely be the end of next week before I post again. I'm going upstate and then out of state and doubt I'll write when I'm not home. I need privacy and quiet to write. Just didn't want anyone to think I abandoned the story or anything if I was gone a while. Enjoy. Thanks for reading and reviewing.)**


	49. Chapter 49

They'd found a spot to camp out at for the night near the dock. Daryl set the Eno hammock up between two sturdy trees on the other side of the dock. The fit was a little tight for the night, but he knew if they'd ended up going home and falling asleep in his bed one of them would have ended up right up under the other one's ass anyway. Whether it was her with her head resting comfortably on his chest or him holding her from behind with his crotch flush against her ass, they'd have been tangled up together some type of way before the morning came.

He wondered if she'd actually enjoyed camping out as much as he had or if she'd just gone along with the idea and not complained about it to make him happy. He'd noticed it had taken her a while to fully fall asleep. Between the chirping crickets in the brush, loud croaking from bullfrogs surrounding the pond, the hooting sound of an owl perched somewhere nearby in a tree that seemed to echo it's way throughout the entire woods, and the lone howl of coyote off in the distance, that was more than understandable for someone who hadn't grown up spending a lot of time sleeping out under the stars like he and Merle had.

He hoped she'd been able to get a decent night's sleep after she drifted off. He hadn't let himself fall asleep until he'd been sure she had. He wanted to be awake enough to drive them home if she'd changed her mind about staying out there. But once he'd felt her breathing become deep and rhythmic and felt her body complete relax against his, he'd let himself knock the fuck out. Not waking until the sound of some of the chirpiest damn baby birds he'd ever heard in his life woke him up around the crack of dawn. Apparently he'd picked a damn tree with a nest in it to set up camp in.

Between the noise from the baby birds and him shifting in the hammock, making it sway side to side, she'd woken up shortly after he had. It was for the best, though. They needed to get home before Rick did.

When he pulled up in the driveway, he immediately noticed Rick's car wasn't home. Obviously things had gone as planned with Michonne last night. Well, either that, or they'd gone terribly wrong and the dude went downtown and got wasted to drown his sorrows and couldn't drive himself home. Daryl wasn't exactly a gambler, that was more of Merle's thing, but he had to admit his bets were on the former and not the latter.

When the two walked in the house early that morning he'd assumed she'd go to her room and he would go to his and they'd both steal a few extra hours of sleep. It was what made sense. It was what was less risky. But when he'd slinked his backpack off his shoulders and started heading towards his room she'd grabbed him by the hand. When he'd turned to face her she'd just been shaking her head no at him. He raised his brows at her and shot her a questioning look.

"You can't get just get what you want from me and dip out the next morning, Daryl Dixon." She teased, her voice riddled with exhaustion and her eyes looking as heavy as his still felt.

"What, you wanna go back to my place?" He nodded towards his room, keeping the banter going. "Don't know about that. It's only the second date. Not sure I like you that much."

She pulled him towards her, planting her hands firmly on his chest as he stood in front of her. She circled the fabric of his old cut of shirt with her right index finger, reaching up and grasping her left hand behind his neck as she pulled his face down next to hers. She paused before she leaned up, licking her lips at first and then scraping her bottom lip with her teeth before placing a soft kiss on his. When she pulled away she let her forehead come to a rest on his. "Yeah, well I like you a lot. Probably a lot more than you think and a lot more than I'm willing to admit just yet."

He let out a deep breath at her words. Feeling a shiver of excitement course through his body. Her cracked with her last sentence. He searched her eyes for any hint of what confession might escape her next. Waiting, hoping, there'd be more to her words, but there wasn't. That was it for now and he had to let it go for the time being. He'd promised not to pressure her or push her, and he wasn't about to start now. She was closer than she had been. A hell of a lot closer. He grabbed one of her hands in his and pulled lightly. "Come on. Let's go back to sleep."

She glanced over her shoulder, back towards her own bedroom door. Mulling the situation over in her head. Where did she wanna go? To Daryl's room, of course. Where did she need to go? To her own room. To avoid suspicion. To keep this ruse going. To keep Rick in the dark. "Not sure I'm ready for that just yet after all. I've got a brother. He's pretty over protective. He might come looking for me." She tried to play off her disappointment in the fact she couldn't go to his room off as joke, but she couldn't hide the slight hint of sadness in her tone.

"Pretty sure I can take him. But suite yourself."

The corner her lip turned up at that and she pulled him into a tight embrace. "I had a really good time with you. Last night, well, it was perfect."

He scoffed at that as he returned her embrace, resting his chin on her shoulder. "You probably got bug bites everywhere and I know damn well you probably only get four hours sleep from all the damn noise critters were making out there."

"I do have bites in some very….unique places." She chuckled. "But I loved every minute of it. I loved doing something with you that you love. Seeing you so relaxed and at peace. I'm glad you shared that with me."

"Anytime." He muttered, feeling relieved to hear she'd actually really enjoyed last night.

"How about we shoot for date number three next weekend? Maybe let me do the same for you?"

"What? Like you take me on a date or something?"

"Yeah. Why not?"

"I'm still pretty new to this dating thing, but ain't I supposed to take you out and shit? Not the other way around?"

Her tone took on one of genuine offense as she let go of him and crossed her arms over her chest. "This isn't the fifties. Girls can plan something nice for someone they care about too."

He raised his hands in defeat. Knowing by the look on her face this wasn't something he'd wanna argue about. "Alright. You wanna take me out, be my guest." A devilish grin lined his face. "Just don't expect me to put out after."

()()()

Later that day Rick and Michonne had both come strolling into the house, hand in hand, announcing that they were finally an official couple. Daryl assumed Rick would break down the details of exactly what happened later on after Michonne left. But daylight turned into dark and Michonne hadn't gone home. And now he wasn't so sure she was going home at all tonight.

She'd helped Carol cook supper and the four of them had eaten in the kitchen. Then they'd all settled into the living room to watch a movie. Carol had claimed his normal seat in the recliner and he was left on the couch with the gushing new couple. They were constantly smiling and holding hands and stealing kisses and it made him want to barf how sickeningly happy they were in front of them, or worse, right beside him.

When he reached a point he couldn't take it anymore he'd finally excused himself on the porch to smoke. He'd been sure to take his time, not in a hurry to get back into the mush fest that awaited him in the living room. He looked behind him when he heard the creak of the sliding glass door being pulled open. "Hey." He mumbled as Carol walked out and took a seat beside him.

She reached out and grabbed his cigarette from him. "Those two are pretty happy." She noted.

"Sickeningly happy. Like they can't stop looking at each other and kissing and shit. And I had to sit right beside them."

She stifled a laugh at the annoyance in his tone and the irony she saw in the comment he'd made. "You realize that'd be you if people had any idea what was going on between us."

"Pfft. No the fuck it wouldn't."

She deadpanned. "Daryl, you're pretty fucking clingy."

"Am not."

She couldn't stifle her amusement any longer, chuckling as she shook her head at him. "Whenever we're alone we're almost always right beside each other. Touching in some way. I even woke up with you having an arm around me that first night we slept together?"

He looked at her in disbelief. He hadn't realized he'd done that. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, seriously. I freaked out and crawled out from under you."

He chuckled at that and stole his cigarette back from her. It was probably a good thing she'd woken up before he found them like that. He probably would have freaked out and they might not have kept sleeping together.

The sound of the sliding glass door being pulled open again had them both turning in unison.

"I'm telling Rick." Michonne said in a chastising voice as she pointed her finger at Carol.

"Telling him what?" She arched a brow at Michonne.

"About you smoking. I saw you before I opened the door." She scooted between the duo and took a seat on the porch.

"Go ahead." She challenged. "Trust me, that's the last thing I'm worried about him finding out about me."

Michonne looked between them and nodded knowingly. Not raising any questions on the matter. She looked at Daryl and nodded down at his cigarette. "Can I?"

He side eyed her skeptically. "You don't smoke."

"Everybody has their first time sometime."

He reluctantly handed it over to her and watched her carefully. She brought it to her lips, but just before she took a drag she tossed it on the steps and quickly stomped it out. She gave him a scolding look then turned and gave Carol the same one. "That's a nasty habit. You should both quit."

"The fuck, Michonne." He grumbled. "Those ain't cheap. I still had half of it left."

"You'll thank me when you don't have lung cancer one day." She chuckled. "Besides, I'm sure you two could find a better way to occupy your time."

Daryl looked over at Carol, wondering if she'd told Michonne anything about them. But tilt of her head the side let him know she hadn't said anything. "I'm gonna go occupy my damn time on the front porch where you ain't gonna stomp my cigarettes out." He huffed.

Carol watched him as he stalked off. She wasn't used to seeing him agitated, but he was clearly in a mood tonight. When he was gone and she was alone on the porch with Michonne she turned her attention to her brother's girlfriend and offered a warm smile. "Welcome to the family."

Michonne chuckled at that. "Don't go rushing things for us. No need to start planning weddings yet."

"You clearly don't know my brother. He's probably already got the ring picked out. Give it a year. He'll be asking you to marry him."

Michonne's mouth gaped until she heard Carol break the seriousness in her tone and let out a choked laugh. She nudged her with her knee and both women ended up sharing a good laugh.

"I'm really glad you're with my brother. I haven't seen him this happy in a long time. It looks good on him."

"Thank you. Honestly, I haven't been either. It's a little scary, and a little overwhelming at times, but I'm glad we took that leap."

She swallowed hard. Knowing exactly how Michonne was feeling when it came to the scary and overwhelming part. As she sat next to the woman she felt her own over protective urge bubble to the surface. "Don't take this the wrong way. I like you and I consider you friend. But, don't hurt my little . He really does like you a lot and I'm not sure he could take this not working out."

Michonne's face grew serious. "I consider you to be my friend, too and I've come to think a lot about you. Trust me when I say this, I'd never dream of doing anything to hurt your brother." Michonne stood up to go back inside, resting a hand on Carol's shoulder. "Don't hurt Dixon. I'm not too sure he could take that either."

Carol could feel the color draining from her face. "What do you know?"

"I don't know anything, and I don't want to. But I'm not blind either. I see what I see."

"Rick?" She choked out.

"Rick sees what he wants to see." She simply replied. "And what you choose to see and what you do see are often two different things."

()()()

The next day had Carol on edge. She wondered who else was starting to realize what was going on between them. Maggie knew they were sleeping together. She wanted them to be together and thought they had feelings they weren't acknowledging. Michonne straight up called out that Daryl had feelings for her. The more people that were starting to notice this meant that the days they could hide this were becoming numbered.

And as good as it would feel to have it out in the open, to come clean and not carry that guilt with her daily, knew she was going to pay the price for hiding it in the first place. And it was probably going to be paid sooner rather than later.

She turned her attention from her internal struggle back to the real world when she saw Maggie walking up to her desk.

"I've got good news. Are you ready?" Maggie beamed.

Carol just looked at her curiously. "Depends on the news."

"I got the keys to my dad's lake house for the weekend. I want everyone to come spend the weekend there. Me, Glenn, you, Daryl, Rick, Michonne and my brother."

Shit. She was supposed to plan a date for Daryl this weekend. But there was no way they were going to get out of going to this. There was no excuse for both of them to dip out. And being in a house with him where five other people could observe their every move sounded like a recipe for disaster. "Great." She muttered, trying to feign excitement. "I can't wait."

()()()

Hershel asked Daryl to stay after work and give him a hand with a surgery. It was the dog that had been brought in on emergency the night that Carol had gone on that date with Shawn. The dog was doing considerably well considering everything it had been through. It had developed an inguinal hernia recently now that it was healthy again Hershel wanted to remove the hernia to prevent any future problems it might cause.

Carol had ridden home with Michonne. He hadn't known how long surgery was going to take and didn't want her to have to wait around for him the entire time. Monday's were always long days anyway and he knew she'd be more than ready to get home. He and Hershel were the only two people left in the building at the moment.

Hershel was finishing putting the last stitch in the dog as he recounted his family's weekend at his lake house for Beth's birthday. When he was done recounting his story and they were finished with the dog he de-gloved and went to wash his hands as Daryl carried the still anesthetized dog to the recovery cage. Hershel looked over at him once he walked back into surgery. "Oh, by the way, I think I have something you might like."

Daryl watched as Hershel reached into his pocket and pulled out what looked to be a folded slip of paper. When he handed it to him Daryl carefully began to unfold it and felt his breath catch in his chest when he saw what was on the piece of paper. He bit at his bottom lip hard and his face flushed. He was staring at a picture of him and Carol on the dock out at Hershel's pond. Not just any picture either. One where he was holding her from behind and kissing her neck.

 **(I'll update again as soon as I can.)**


	50. Chapter 50

**I hope people are still enjoying this story. This chapter isn't the best, but I took time on my beach vacation to write it, so I hope you guys kinda like it.**

Daryl's eyes grew wide. Shock and confusion clearly etched on his face as he stared down at the printed photo in his hand. His eyes flicked back up to Hershel's after a moment of stunned silence. "How'd you get this?" He choked out.

Hershel folded his arms across his chest as he glared at the younger man. The poor boy's eyes were as wide as a deer's that had been caught in the headlights. "I've got a trail camera set up that overlooks the pond. The Lawson boys from down the road kept sneaking out there to get drunk. They'd leave beer cans everywhere and the last thing I needed was for something to happen to one of them on my property. Caught them in the act and showed their parents what they'd been up to. Haven't seen them since, but I leave it up for good measure. Imagine my surprise when I came home from the lake Sunday evening and found you and Ms. Grimes had been sneaking around out there instead."

Daryl bit at his lower lip as beads of sweat started forming at the back of his neck. Hershel had told him a long time ago that he could go out the property whenever he wanted to. He hadn't thought it would be a big deal to take her out there, and he sure as hell hadn't thought there'd be a trail camera to give photographic evidence of what they'd been up to out there. Daryl was sure the man didn't appreciate any other images the camera must have been caught. "I should've let you know I was gonna take her out there. Should've asked if it was okay." He mumbled, anxiously rubbing the back of his neck and flicking his eyes to the floor in anticipation of the scolding that he was sure to receive.

"I don't care that you were out there." Hershel chuckled. Finally relaxing his features from the emotionless, stern state he'd been sporting. "I just don't understand why you didn't tell me or anyone else that you and Carol are an item. Were you worried it would be a big deal with her working here, too? Because I can assure you, it's not. You two work well together and do your jobs efficiently. As long as neither of you are a distraction to the other, I don't mind you still training her."

Daryl sighed, heavily. "No. It ain't that. It's just….look…..she ain't my girlfriend. Alright?"

Hershel looked at him dumbfounded. He pointed to the picture Daryl was still clutching in his hand and let his voice grow demanding once again. "Son, look at that picture. The way you're holding her right there. How long we both know you held her like that. Are you really trying to tell me that she doesn't mean something to you? I might be turning into an old man, but don't insult my intelligence."

"I didn't say that." He quickly corrected, more harshness being conveyed in his tone than he'd intended. "And I ain't trying to make you look like no fool or nothing. It's just complicated with us. Really fucking complicated."

A look of understanding washed over Hershel's face and he gave Daryl a sympathetic nod. "I've seen you and her around work. I should have seen this coming looking back. She makes you happy. Son, don't let your past or your fears get in the way of that."

"I ain't!" He huffed out in frustration. "I'm all in this. I'm in it a hundred fucking percent and it scares the ever loving shit out of me. I promie ain't none of my damn hang ups got a thing to do with why this is so complicated."

Hershel leaned over the surgery table and folded his hands together as he looked up at Daryl expectantly. "Well, I've got time and you're still on the clock. Go ahead and start explaining why it is then?"

Daryl eased his thumb over the edge of printout, glancing down at the photo once more before meeting Hershel's eyes. He knew they'd agreed not to tell anyone what they were doing, but Hershel kinda found out on his own and there wasn't a way to lie his way out of everything he was sure Hershel had seen on those photos. And as much as Hershel had done for him since he started working at the clinic, how he'd treated him like part of his family over the last few years, he couldn't just dismiss him and storm off like he had the urge to do. As much as he hated talking about his feelings, he felt he owed the man an explanation.

So, he leaned against the other surgery table and began to spill his guts to the older man. Diving into every single detail of the messy situation. From Rick's adamance that they don't fool around to begin with, to Carol's hesitancy to emotionally commit to him, to all of the lies. He left no stone unturned in his confession. And by the end of it, he had to admit he felt a huge sense of relief in knowing someone else knew the whole truth. Like a burden had been lifted off of his shoulders.

Hershel had been rather quiet at first, silently taking in every word that he'd just been told. The man scratched his chin for a moment, gently tugging at his own beard. "This is a messy situation you've gotten yourself into. But I think you both need to tell Rick. Own up to it and be honest with him about why you felt you had to lie in the first place.

"He ain't ever gonna trust me again. He already don't think I'm good enough for his sister. Add lying son of a bitch to my list of shitty qualities and he ain't exactly gonna change his mind about that. And it I hate he's gonna be pissed at her too. They get nasty as fuck when they're mad. I can take whatever he's gonna say to me. Know I'll deserve it and I'm sure I'll have heard worse before. Ain't gonna deal with him flipping his shit on her so well, though."

"He's her brother. Siblings fight and say things they don't mean. I can't count the terrible things Maggie, Shawn, and Beth have said to each other. No matter what, they'll always love each other. He'll forgive her. Families funny like that, there's little wrong that can't be forgiven by someone you love. In the end, if he sees you make her happy and treat her right, he'll accept it."

Daryl wasn't so sure about that, but didn't argue with the man. He just made some strange sound that was a mix between a snort and a grunt in response.

"And maybe you shouldn't have lied." Hershel pointed out. "But Rick didn't have any business telling two adults what they could and couldn't do either. Granted, you could have both told him that like adults instead of lying and going behind his back, but he was still in the wrong with how he went about things too."

Daryl titled his head at that. Internally, despite is guilt, he had felt like part of this laid on Rick's shoulders as well. And that thought had left him a bit frustrated. He'd been the one who'd been so weird about the two of him before he'd even formally met Carol. If Rick would have realized that they were both adults and could make their own decisions in the first damn place neither of them would have felt the need to lie in the first place. It felt good for him to hear that someone else understood that and it wasn't just some excuse he' tried to make up to make himself feel better.

Hershel sensed the wheels still turning inside of Daryl's head and decided to take an opportunity to try and reassure him some more. "Did I ever tell you how mad Maggie was when she first found out I was dating Annette?" 

Daryl shook his head at that. Not being able to recall the story. He'd known Maggie and her step-mom had a strained relationship at first, but didn't exactly know the details.

"She was so upset when her mother died." Hershel began. "She'd just turned twelve right around the time it happened. Around a six months later a friend of mine tried setting me up with a woman from her church. I went out with her because I was lonely and wanted the company. Maggie had a complete meltdown. She accused me of trying to replace Josephine. Of not loving her and Beth anymore and telling me that the two of them didn't make me happy. She made me feel so guilty, it hurt me so much to see how upset she was, that I promised her I wouldn't date anyone else. Not for a long time. I thought she was right. That it was too soon. And at the time I thought I meant it. Little did I know Annette would start working for me a few months later and that we'd form a friendship that turned into something else entirely. She comforted me. Helped me through my grief. Taught me to love again. Made me feel completely whole. But instead of coming to my child and being honest with her, I dated Annette in secret for a few months. I convinced myself it was the right thing to do. That I'd spare Maggie the heartache if it didn't work out.

Daryl snorted at that. "Maggie ain't no idiot. Bet that didn't work for long."

"No, it didn't." He chuckled. "Maggie's a bright girl. She got suspicious of all the emergency calls I was going on and how often I'd run to the clinic to check on things. She hitched a ride with a neighbor and got them to drop her by the clinic one day. Used her key I'd given her for emergencies and caught us having lunch in the kitchen."

"And what? She was just okay with it because she loves you and saw Annette made you happy?" He snidely replied.

"Hell no! She kicked and screamed and threw a fit like a three year old. She refused to speak to me for an entire week and went on a hunger strike. I was threatening to hook her up to IV's."

"What changed her mind then?"

"She heard me on the phone with Anette one night. I was telling her how much I cared for her and wanted it to work, but that my children meant more to me than anything and if Maggie wasn't going to come around then this just couldn't work. She crawled into my bed that night and told me she was sorry. She said I sounded so sad and that she'd liked seeing me smile again so much the last few months. Annette had been sending food for me to try and get her to eat that week. She also confessed to eating some of her food when I'd go to sleep and said anyone who made homemade chicken pot pie that good couldn't be too bad."

Daryl offered a light smile at Hershel's story, but quickly let his face grow serious again as he compared the two situations. "I can't walk away even if he wants me too. Maybe that makes me a shitty friend a shitty person, but I ain't giving her up that easily."

Herself stepped around and placed a hand on Daryl's shoulder. "I think a lot of you son, have since the day I met you. And honestly, I've always seen a lot of myself in you. It's one reason I've always gone out of my way to be there for you in any way possible. You're a good kid. I don't think you're a shitty friend or a shitty person. Maybe lying wasn't the best choice, but love makes people do crazy things."

Daryl nodded, feeling his heart and head swell a bit at the words Hershel just said to him. "Thanks. I appreciate it. Oh, and uh, I'm sorry about anything else you saw on that camera." He mumbled.

Hershel raised an eyebrow at that. "The last photo on there was this one. The memory card was full. What else exactly might I have seen if it hadn't of been full?

Daryl started shaking his head quickly and stammering. "Nothing. Nothing at all."

()()()

Maggie invited Carol to go and grab a bite to eat with her after work. They'd settled on going to the pizza place downtown that Glenn worked at and were currently sitting at a booth devouring a pizza Glenn provided for them on the house.

"Free food that I didn't have to cook myself. I could get used to this." Carol muttered between bites.

Maggie chuckled at that. "The boys are gonna starve tonight without you cooking for them. You've spoiled them since you moved in."

"They'll manage. There's sandwich stuff in the fridge and a few frozen plates in the freezer we stay stocked up on for when we've had a long day at work and I make them fend for themselves."

Maggie picked up her slice of pizza. "This is what Glenn and I live off of mostly. This and ramen noodles. I'm too lazy to take the time to cook."

Carol smiled at that, thinking lazy was a word she'd never use to describe the woman in front of her at all. "Cooking isn't for everyone." She mused. "I've just always had a knack for it. Even when I was a kid, I was always trying to concoct some recipe or another. Then when I was with Ed, well he had to have home cooked meals at least three times a week or he got bitchy about his routine being broken."

'The more you tell me about him the less likable he becomes. And I promise he wasn't very likable to start with knowing that he cheated on you."

"Hindsight is 20/20." She muttered. Not wanting to keep the conversation on Ed, she quickly changed the subject back to cooking. "You know, Rick can barely make sweet tea. It's a good thing Michonne's a pretty good cook."

Maggie sipped her drink and nodded. "Daryl said your brother hasn't cooked a meal since he's lived with him. He used to come to work bitching about how the two of them would live off of fast food and microwavable meals for the rest of college because he wasn't going to sit down and be Rick's house bitch. Said he knew Rick wasn't ever gonna chip in and cook. I used to laugh at that. Somehow the thought of Daryl cooking in the first place doesn't seem plausible."

"Hey." She replied, defensively. "Daryl can cook a little. I'll have you know he makes a hell of a ham and cheese sandwich with a nice side of chips."

"Sounds almost as delicious as Glenn's microwaved corndogs." She smirked.

()()()

The duo sat in the pizzeria and continued in easy conversation the rest of their meal. Carol and Maggie had formed a pretty decent friendship the last few weeks. Talking and joking a good bit during work and occasionally going out for coffee or a bite to eat with just the two of them. A few times she and Daryl had gone and shot pool with Maggie and Glenn. She liked having a good female friend again. It was something she hadn't really had since high school.

Carol watched as Maggie hugged Glenn and gave him a kiss goodbye. A slight prick of disappoint hit her as she thought about how she hadn't been able to do that earlier with Daryl when she left and he stayed behind at work. It was the same prick of disappointment she'd felt last night when she had to watch Rick and Michonne be all lovey dovey on the couch and she'd had to sit in a completely different chair to keep her distance from Daryl.

She knew that she only had herself to blame for the fact that she couldn't do those things, but the more she spent time with him and the more she ended up liking him, the more she longed to just kiss him whenever she wanted, or reach out and hold his hand, or sit in his lap and curl up into him after a long day. Seeing Rick and Mihonne do those things on a daily basis sure as hell wasn't going to help that longing either. It was only going to intensify it and her jealousy.

Once Glenn walked away Maggie and Carol headed for the door and walked towards Maggie's car. Maggie paused in front of her car before unlocking it and gave Carol a sly smile. "That's the place you went to with Daryl when you first moved her. Right? That was where you had your first date." Maggie's voice took on a teasing tone as she said it, more or less trying to rile Carol up about it. Knowing they were sleeping together and desperately wanting them both to admit there was more to it than that. She took almost any opportunity she could to rib her or try and get her to consider more with him.

"No." Carol replied, shaking her head quickly then pausing for a moment as if trying to remember something. "Biba's or Bibo's." She finally said. "Something like that anyway. An Italian place in the next town over. That's where we had our first date." She said it so casually, so matter of factly, so easily, that she didn't even realize her blunder.

Maggie stared at her. Eyes wide. Mouth gaping. "What!" She squealed. You and Daryl are dating? You went on a date? When! How? When!"

And that was when she realized she'd fucked up. She'd told on herself without thinking about it. She felt herself begin to panic. Pulse rising, heart hammering against her chest, the bundle of nerves coiling in her stomach. "No we didn't." She stammered, hoping she could possibly convince her she misunderstood what was said.

"Yes you did! You just told me you did!"

"No….No I didn't."

"Yes you did. You so did. Now stop and tell me everything."

Carol groaned. Knowing there was no way to get out of this. Maggie wasn't her brother, she wasn't going to be as easily distracted or turned around. And honestly, she really didn't want to lie to her anyway. Maggie stuck her neck out for her and helped her get that job at the clinic. She owed it to her to fess up now that she'd halfway confessed anyway. "Get in the car and I'll tell you everything on the ride home." Her voice became stern as she gave Maggie a firm look. "But if I do, this stays between us. You don't tell a soul and I meant it."

"Okay."

"No Maggie. I mean it. No one. Not even Glenn."

Maggie nodded, almost reluctantly. "If that's what you want, I promise I won't."


	51. Chapter 51

Maggie was grinning from ear to ear by the time Carol finished explaining everything to her. "I knew it. I knew it this whole time. There was always more than just sex there between you two. I kept telling Glenn that. I kept telling him Daryl really liked you and that you felt the same way about him. He owes me a week's worth of doing laundry and twenty bucks for this."

"Except you can't tell him." Carol firmly reminded her friend. "Are you forgetting the whole part of the story where I'm a horrible person that's been lying to my brother's face left and right for, I don't know, almost a month now."

Maggie straightened her face as she shifted in the seat of her car. "I haven't forgotten about that part of the story. I'm just a little caught up in the fact that the two people I've been shipping are kinda a thing."

Carol quirked an eyebrow as she folded her arms over her chest. "Shipping?"

"Yeah. You know, hopelessly rooting for two people to become a couple to the point it consumes your thoughts and becomes an almost unhealthy obsession."

"People do that to TV characters." She scoffed. "Daryl and I are real people. We're your friends."

"Exactly! And that's what makes pulling for you two to be a couple even better. I know you in real life and care about you both."

Carol rolled her eyes at that and let out a chuckle. If only Rick could have been that enthusiastic about the idea of something going on between her and Daryl when she first moved here. "Well, don't start throwing a party just yet. Your ship hasn't officially set sail. I told you, we're not officially together. We're friends with benefits with potential."

"But you could be." Maggie pointed out matter of factly. "He's crazy about you and you know it just as well as I do. Why are you doing this to yourself? To Daryl? To Rick?"

Carol didn't say anything. She flicked her eyes down to the floorboard of the car and started worrying at her bottom lip as she twirled her thumbs in her lap.

Maggie looked at her friend sympathetically and spoke softly. "Come on. Talk to me. Tell me what's stopping you?"

She let out a nervous laugh in response. "I really can't even give you a good answer." She ran her hand through her long hair and sighed as she rested her head against the window. "At first I was scared it wouldn't work. That Daryl would wake up and wonder what the hell he'd been thinking and that it would be over before it really began. You know? Relationships weren't him. Liking someone wasn't him. Wanting to be with one person wasn't him."

"And now?" Maggie pressed.

"Now? Now, I see how he is with me. The time and effort he puts in to us, to trying to build an, us, and that just doesn't seem to scare me as bad anymore. I know he likes me Maggie, I know he really likes me and he likes me a lot. I can see it in his eyes when he looks at me, hear it in his voice when he talks to me, it's terrifying, and beautiful, and overwhelming all at the same time. And I'm crazy about him too, I really am. I don't even remember feeling this way about Ed in the beginning. Not even when I was ready to give up my future for him, and it's scary to realize that, so scary, but so exciting too."

Maggie reached over and squeezed Carol's shoulder, offering her a small grin. "You're falling in love with him."

Carol didn't respond to that. She ignored it completely. Partially because she wasn't ready to consider that fact to herself yet, and partially because if she ever was ready to consider it she wanted Daryl to be the first person to know that first. Instead, she turned her attention back to why she kept hiding their relationship. "I screwed up so bad, Maggie, so bad." She felt tears threatening to prick her eyes as she kept them as far away from meeting Maggie's gaze as she could. She could feel a sob threatening to rise in the back of her throat and she quickly pushed it down, not wanting to become an emotional roller coaster.

"What are you talking about?

"Rick." She paused, taking a moment to steady her voice once again. "Rick's almost caught us a few times and I looked him in his eyes and I lied to him. More than once. I lied to him like it was no big deal Like it was the easiest thing in the world to do. At first, I didn't think anything of it. I mean, I was supposed to have that one weekend with Daryl and then it'd be done and I really saw it as something he didn't need to know about. You know? Something that wasn't his business. But then things with us got more serious and I was worried about Rick flipping out and then it not working so I kept excusing it. Telling myself he was better off not knowing until there was officially something to know. Until he needed to. But then it just snowballed and before I knew it we kept making up excuses when he'd get suspicious and he'd believe them, or act like he did anyway. And now, now it's just gone on so long and gotten so out of hand, I'm just…." She paused again and shook her head. "He's a good brother to me. He didn't have to take me in, he didn't have to let me move here. He's done a lot for me, and not just now, growing up too. Things with our parents. He defended me."

"You're scared this is going to mess your relationship with Rick up? That it's gonna mess his friendship with Daryl up?"

"How can it not?"

Maggie didn't know what to say to that. She had to agree that they'd gotten themselves into a pretty screwed up situation and they'd gone about things the wrong way. Rick probably was going to be mad as hell at both of them and she'd be mad too if Shawn or Beth had done something similar. There was nothing they could do to fix that now, though. The damage had been done. And lying and telling her it would all be okay wasn't going to do a damn bit of good either. "The longer you keep this from him, the worse it's going to be. And if you slipped up and told me, don't you think it's possible you might slip and say something to Rick or to someone who'll go back and tell him? That's not how you want him to find out."

"I know." She woefully agreed. "You're right, I know."

()()()

When Carol got home that evening after her chat with Maggie she'd been surprised to find Rick alone on the couch. "You and Michonne okay?" She asked, walking over and taking a seat beside him.

"Yeah. We're good." He grinned widely, like he'd been doing non-stop since he'd announced the two of them were an official unit. "She just had to study and needed some peace and quiet. Finals are Friday and she's got an 89.5 in one of her classes. She's trying to make sure she gets an A."

"You're not studying? That's very un-Rick like not to prepare for something."

"Taking a break for now. It was a long day at work. Besides, Michonne's classes are a hell of a lot harder than mine. You need to know a hell of a lot more to be a surgeon than you do to get a degree in criminal justice."

"Don't sell yourself short there detective Grimes."

"Pffft. We both know that's at least ten years away. Dad's gonna make sure I have to work my way up."

"Stop. He's gonne be so proud of you he'll make sure they hand the title to you."

"Nah. You know dad. He's gonna make sure I gotta bust my balls to get to where I wanna be. That's how he's always been."

"Maybe." She shrugged. "But you know how proud that really is gonna make him if you go back home and you work along-side him like you always planned."

Rick nodded at that. Ever since he'd mentioned wanting to be a cop their dad had been all about the idea. He'd insisted his son get a college education first, referring him to one in criminal justice so he could move up the ranks more easily. The man was ecstatic that his son wanted to follow along in his foot-steps and he knew that their father's pride in that fact sometimes didn't help Carol's feelings of Rick being the perfect wanted child.

He hated their family situation was so messy, so he made sure to clear his throat as he broached his next subject carefully. "Hey, um, I, uh, I, talked to dad earlier."

Carol raised her brows at that. "About what?"

"He wants us to come home next weekend. His birthday is that Saturday and then Mother's day is Sunday. I told him I'd be there and might stay a few extra days since classes will be out if I can get the time off work." Rick paused, watching her closely, knowing damn well this could lead to another fight between them. "He told me to ask if you'd come."

She took a moment before she answered that question. Seeing in Rick's eyes how much he wanted her to go. Hearing the strain in his voice as he asked her. Thinking back to Easter at the hurt she'd heard in her dad's voice when she hadn't gone home. She thought about how inevitably they'd be in one of the biggest fights of their life soon enough and how she didn't wanna spend any of their time in the calm before the storm at each other's throats about anything else. So without any reluctance, without hesitation, she simply agreed. "I'll go home for the weekend."

Rick looked at her stunned, as if he couldn't believe she hadn't put up much of a fight to go. "Seriously? You're really gonna go?"

She nodded as she let her head fall on his shoulder. "I am. I can't run from them forever."

"Dad's gonna be really happy to see you. It's gonna make his birthday. I'm glad you're coming."

"I am too." She pulled her knees up to her chest as she shifted into a fetal position on the couch. "I love you, little brother. No matter what I've done, no matter what I do, I always will. Remember that."

Rick wrapped an arm around her tightly. Not missing the quivery sound in her voice as she spoke. He chalked it up to how she hadn't been around much the past few years and everything that had gone on with Ed. "I know you do. Don't worry I won't forget that. Same goes for me."

()()()

It was almost dark by the time Daryl left the clinic and he'd just grabbed a burger on the way home. He had to admit, it didn't quite hit the spot like Carol's cooking did. But she'd told him she'd grabbed a pizza with Maggie and he wasn't going to take the time to heat something up this late.

When he finally got back to his place he found Rick in the living room studying for finals. Hell, it's probably what he should be doing, too. But he didn't really have time for that tonight. He was gonna speak to Carol for a few minutes, get a shower, then go to bed. He'd have to go to the library the next few days after work and cram. Assuming Hershel didn't keep him this late again.

He'd asked Rick if he'd known where Carol was and he said she was out on the back porch listening to music. He found her lying on the deck with headphones in her ears, looking up at the stars. She hadn't heard him or seemed to notice him at all when he pulled the sliding glass door open. So he casually walked over to her and laid down beside her.

When Carol felt someone plopping down next to her she turned her attention away from the celestial bodies she'd been gazing at and towards the man next to her. She gave Daryl a small smile as she plucked her ear buds out of her ears. Something about his presence had a calming effect on her and after her conversations with Maggie and Rick she could really use some of that right now. "Long surgery? Thought it was just a hernia repair?" She asked as she reached out and swept her hand over his.

He grunted as he placed his other hand behind his head as he gave the hand that was brushing his free one a light squeeze before moving to reach into his pocket. "Hershel gave me this and wanted to talk about it after we finished surgery." He informed her as he slipped the paper into her hand.

She rolled onto her side and looked at him quizzically.

"Go on and open it."

She slowly unfolded the paper piece by piece until the image of the two of them on the dock were revealed. She shot upright and clasp her hand over her mouth. "How did he get this? He's going to fire me. Oh my God. He's going to fire us both."

Daryl pushed himself up so he was sitting beside her. He shook his head as he went through the whole ordeal of how the picture came to be and the talk he had with Hershel and what all the man now knew. When he was finished he watched Carol, who was completely silent as she chewed at her bottom lip. "He's right. We gotta tell him. I can't keep doing this." He offered, trying to get the conversation going.

"I know. I know we do." She sighed. "Maggie knows, too."

Daryl's face fell at that. "What! How!"

Then it was Carol's turn to explain how her night had gone and Daryl was the one sitting in silence, only he was chewing his thumb instead of his lip.

"Are you mad at me?" She asked carefully. "I swear I didn't mean to. It just came out."

He looked at her, feeling bad at how pitiful she sounded thinking he was mad at her. "Nah. I ain't mad. I get it. You slipped up. I licked your damn face in front of Rick. Shit happens. Maggie ain't gonna say nothing."

"Not on purpose." Carol added. "But she might slip up. She was pretty excited about the idea of us as a couple." She couldn't help but chuckle thinking back at Maggie's face after she told her everything.

Daryl hummed at that. He didn't really get why Maggie wanted them together so damn bad, but at least they had someone okay with it. "Reckon she might." He glanced over at the sliding door then back to Carol. "You wanna tell him tonight? Get it over with?"

"That's what I was out here thinking about before you got home. But you've both got finals this week. Then we have to go to Maggie's for that lake house party this weekend, then you're birthday is next Wednesday, then I'm going home with Rick next weekend for Mother's day and my dad's birthday."

"You are?" He asked in surprise.

"Yeah. He asked and I couldn't say no. Not right now. It's not worth the fight and I need to go. I really do."

He felt a tinge of disappointment knowing she'd be gone an entire weekend. He'd gotten so used to spending most of his free time with her that it was going to feel weird being in this house all alone. But he'd also seen the look or regret she'd had about not going home for Easter, and as much as she said she wouldn't change that weekend for anything, he knew a part of her wished she'd been with her family. He wasn't about to ask her to give up time with her family to keep him from feeling lonely for a few days. "So, when do we tell him then? Sounds like there's always gonna be a reason we should wait."

"As soon as I get back from my parents. It'll give us time to think about what we're going say. Maybe give me some time to get him used to the idea I might like you by dropping some hints here and there at my parent's house."

"Alright." He sighed. "But it's gotta happen when y'all get home from there. I ain't trying to push you or nothing. Ain't trying to tell you that we gotta put a title on this by then if that ain't what you want, but we gotta be honest. Like we should've been from the get go."

She reached down and picked up that picture that Hershel had printed off of them and stared at it. It was the first picture she'd ever seen of them together, and though she couldn't see their faces, she saw how relaxed they both were, how perfectly she seemed to fit in his arms, and the image warmed her heart. Sent millions of little butterflies surging through her stomach as a grin lined her lips. "I know you're not. And you don't have to worry about pushing me. I'm already right there on the edge anyway."

He bumped her with his shoulder and grinned at her. "That make you go ahead and fall on over?"

She nudged him back as she let out a quiet laugh. She didn't tell him, but maybe it did. "Can I keep this?" She asked, holding up the picture.

He gave her a small nod. He'd been planning on keeping it, but if she wanted it she could have it. He could always ask Hershel if he could print another one. "I gotta grab a shower then go to bed. I'll see you in the morning." He leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her lips before he turned to stand up, but she caught his arm before he could stand and he turned to face her one last time.

"Since we've got the lake house this weekend and I'll be gone next weekend I'm gonna plan something for you on your birthday as a date instead. That okay?"

"Ain't never really had nothing special done for me on my birthday before. Plan away."

"Oh, it'll be special. Really special." She leaned in and captured her lips with his one more time, gently scraping his bottom lip with her teeth as she pulled away.


	52. Chapter 52

It was just after noon on Thursday and Daryl had just gotten out of class. He'd taken three finals today and he had two more tomorrow and he'd officially be done with his junior year of college. Assuming he passed all of his classes, of course, but he wasn't too much worried about failing. He would have to pretty much bomb his finals to end up failing any of his them, and even if he did, there was still a good chance he could scrape by with a C in most of them anyway.

Hell, this had actually ended up being one of his best semesters, academically speaking, so far. He was pretty sure he was going to end up with four A's and even manage to get a B in his hardest class. He had a feeling he'd done well on the three tests he'd taken earlier, now all he had to do was do well on those two that were left tomorrow. Too bad that one of those classes was biochemistry, which happened to be the class he was hanging on the balance in between a B and C.

So, instead of coming home and relaxing on his Thursday off, it pretty much meant he was going to need to be spending the majority of his day studying and cramming.

()()()

Carol was sitting on the front porch when she heard Daryl's bike coming towards the house a little after lunch time. She'd been sitting in her new swing reading when she heard the telltale roar of his bike's engine long before he even pulled onto their street.

She'd bought the swing earlier in the week. They had a spacious front porch and back deck. But both spaces were bare and had been since well before she moved in. Well, other than the grill that was on the back porch that is. She'd mentioned something about it being a shame that there was all that space and nothing there to take it up. Especially since the house they lived in was such a cute little place. She'd thrown out suggestions on things to do to spruce the outside appearance up, and Rick and Daryl hadn't exactly been enthusiastic about jumping on decorating the place, but both men had given her the green light to go ahead and change or add anything she wanted to.

With her last pay check she'd bought the swing she was currently sitting in and also added a few hanging baskets and potted pants. Begonia's, ferns, geraniums, azalea's and roses were now strategically placed along the front and back of the house.

Once she'd started decorating the place, Daryl had finally thrown a few artifacts of his own choosing in the mix. He said that he didn't mind all of the damn flowers or nothing, but he still wanted people to be able to tell that guys lived her too. He'd found two old turtle shells out in the woods a long time ago and placed them on the front porch as his very own decorative ornaments, along with some type of skull that he claimed came from a deer.

Rick hadn't really had many ideas to contribute, other than where he thought things should be placed. He wasn't the type to really care about home décor. As long as the grass was kept at a reasonable length and the bushes weren't overgrowing, Rick was happy enough with the outside of the house.

And that was okay with her, not everyone liked the same things, and she didn't really expect two college aged guys to really care that much about fancying up a house that they were renting temporarily. At least her brother and Daryl liked to keep things relatively neat around the place. They'd leave cans and paper plates lying around here and there, sometimes Daryl left his clothes in the bathroom floor or forgot to put the toilet seat down, but overall they were neater than you'd expect most guys their age to be. Hell, they both picked up after themselves a hell of a lot better than Ed had. And not once had either of them asked her to clean up their mess for them, though sometimes she did, simply because she couldn't stand for things to be dirty or unorganized and she'd tire of looking at it before one of them got to picking up the mess.

As she heard Daryl's bike enter their driveway she turned her attention from her own thoughts. She dog eared the page of the book she'd been reading and then closed it completely once she saw him pull under the carport. She watched him as he pushed the kickstand down, then flung a leg over the bike in an effort to climb off. He pulled his helmet off, leaving his hair in that slight disheveled, yet completely sexy, way it always did. She watched him give her a sideways grin the moment he noticed her sitting in the swing and it made her stomach do one of those weird little flip flops she'd grown so accustomed to feeling whenever he smiled at her, or told her something sweet, or held her close to him.

He rested the helmet on the handle bars of his bike and jogged towards the porch, quickly taking a seat beside her in the swing after he slung his backpack off his shoulders. "Hey."

She grinned at him, bringing a hand to the side of his face and pulling him in for quick peck on the lips. "Hey." She replied once she pulled away, still grinning. "You think you did okay on your finals?"

"Mhm. Just worried about the two I got left tomorrow."

"You'll do just fine. You're smarter than you give yourself credit for."

He felt the corner of his lip turn up at that as his cheeks tinged pink. She was always telling him something good about himself. Encouraging him in some way. She'd told him on more than one occasion that she thought he should apply for vet school. She'd said he was smart enough and had the passion and the drive to make an excellent veterinarian. He still didn't think he had the grades to get in or the patience to do four more years of school after next year, but it made him feel good to know she thought he was capable. ""What were you doing before I got home?" He asked her, feeling the need to get the attention off of him before she decided to start on all of that talk again.

She glanced around the porch, landing her eyes on the turtle shells and the deer skull, then smirked at him. "Just spending some time out here, hanging out with your creepy, little dead friends."

He feigned a hurt look and scoffed at her. "Hey, don't make fun of the way I choose to decorate. This is my damn home just as much as it is yours."

Home. That word hit her hard. Sure, this place was where she'd been living for over a month. It's where she helped pay the bills. It's where all of her stuff was. But she hadn't come to the realization that this was her home before he said it just now. It wasn't supposed to become that. It was supposed to be a stopping place on her journey to get back on her feet. A place of refuge for her during a difficult time in her life. She'd planned to live here a few months and get back on her feet, get her life together, and find somewhere of her own.

But over the time she'd spent here, it had slowly become hers just as much as it was Rick and Daryl's. And maybe that's why she'd had such an urge to add her own touches to it lately. Maybe it's why she kept trying to leave her mark on the place. Because maybe her heart realized it was her home before her head did.

She'd found herself again here. In this place, in this small town, with the people that had come into her life since she'd moved here And inside the walls of that house she'd found something she hadn't even been looking for. She'd found Daryl, and in him, she'd found she could open herself up again. That she could still let someone in. That she could still feel it.

She looked up at Daryl, her eyes shining brightly. "You're right. This is our home. You get a say so, too." And with that she moved her hands to his chest, gripping his shirt firmly as she pulled his lips towards hers once again, this time demandingly and full of passion.

He moaned as her lips connected with his repeatedly and he felt her run her hands down her chest, slowly, until one of them came to a rest at the crotch of his jeans, she stopped and gave him a firm squeeze that had his low moan turning into a rough growl against her lips.

"Wanna screw around?" murmured, as she turned her attention from his mouth and began peppering kisses from his jawline down to his neck as she continued to maneuver her hand over the outside of his pants on the bulge that was now forming there.

He should go inside in study. He should get be getting in all the extra time he could in preparation for tomorrow. But all he could think about right now was getting inside of her. And fast. "Mhm." He muttered, as he gripped her thighs and pulled her into his lap in one swift motion. She gently suckled his neck as he gripped her firmly around her ass and stood up quickly with her in his arms, walking them both towards the door and inside their home.

()()()

After their little tryst earlier Carol had decided to get out of the house for a while and give him a little peace and quiet to study. She knew if she stayed around the house all day she'd end up distracting him and he wouldn't be able to fully focus on what he needed to do.

She'd ended up going to the athletic complex with Maggie, Glenn, and Shawn. The four of them had gone swimming and then grabbed a bite to eat at a sandwich shop downtown. While they were swimming, Carol couldn't help but notice the occasional glance Shawn would shoot at her in her bikini.

It wasn't that she was really bothered by it. He didn't know that she and Daryl were some sort of thing, and he had admittedly been attracted to her or he wouldn't have asked her on that date a while back and admitted he was hoping it would end in them hooking up. She knew it was natural to steal a glance at someone here and there that you found attractive. It wasn't exactly a big deal and he hadn't been forward or made a move on her. He seemed to respect where she'd told him she stood after that date, and she liked him as a person. He was fun to be around and she thought of him as a friend

But it did make her worry about how Daryl might react this weekend if he happened to see the other man's eyes lingering a little too long on her. She had a sneaking suspicion he might have a jealous side when it came to her. One that he probably wouldn't be too good at hiding if something was right in his face like that.

She made her way home that evening a little after six. She'd grabbed Daryl some food to go from the sandwich shop and she was currently making her way to his room to see if he could use a bite to eat. She found him lying on his bed on his stomach, his bare back exposed, with his head propped up in his hands while he looked down at his notes. He was still only wearing a pair of basketball shorts he'd slid on after they finished up earlier.

She knocked softly on his open door when he didn't look up or seem to notice her presence. That did the trick to get his attention, because he looked up and gave her a nod. "You hungry?" She asked as she held up the bag that his food was in.

"Starving." He mumbled as he pushed his notes out of the way. "What'd you get me?"

She walked over and took a seat beside him and handed him the bag. "Here."

He pulled out the contents, revealing a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a Capri sun, and a bag of chips. He couldn't help but chuckle.

She eyed him carefully, not knowing if she should be offended or not. "What's so funny? You don't appreciate me bringing you food?"

He shook his head as he pulled the plastic off the sandwich and took a bite. "Nah. That ain't it. It just reminded me of something from when I was a kid."

"Yeah? And what's that?"

"See, I had this teacher in second grade, Mr. Horvath. He uh..." Daryl suddenly paused, as if contemplating on whether or not he should continue. But when he looked up and met her eyes he must've decided that he could go on, because he started talking again. "He used to make us read out loud in class. But every damn time he'd call on me I refused. Wouldn't say a damn word. I'd just look at him like I thought he was an asshole. Any other teacher would've sent my ass to the office and got me paddled or called my old man and I would've got worse at home. But he didn't do that. Instead, he made me stay after class one day. Wanted me to read the chapter. Just me and him." He looked down shamefully. "I couldn't. I couldn't barely read a damn word of it. That's why I ain't ever wanted to read out loud in class back then. Everybody'd laugh at me and shit, call me stupid, or a dumb redneck, or trailer trash."

She gave him a sympathetic look and rubbed his back, trying to encourage him to keep talking as she noticed him grow quiet again.

He looked up and gave her a weak smile when he felt her run her hand over his back. "Anyway, after that, he started making me stay after school every damn day. Said he was gonna teach me how to read, that by the end of the year I'd be reading better than most kids in my grade. I was pissed at first. You know? Made me feel even worse to know I needed that extra help. That I wasn't as good as everybody else in the damn class and I did feel like a dumbass. I wouldn't do nothing the first few days. I'd just stare at him with my arms crossed over my chest. But he'd always give me a damn PB&J sandwich every damn afternoon. That, a snack cake, and some chips and damn Capri sun or Koolaid Jammer. Every damn day he had something like that waiting on me. And after a week of me being a little shit and not saying nothing, he told me if I wouldn't help myself he couldn't help me and that I'd just have to go the rest of my life not being able to read and to see how far that'd get me."

"And that made you wanna do better?"

"Pffft. Hell no. I didn't think a damn thing of what he said back then, but I did realize my ass would be having to go back to that house an hour earlier each day if I didn't stay with him and that I might be fucking going to bed hungry some nights if I didn't get that meal from him. So, I started letting him help me. Started trying harder. And guess what? I fucking learned to read, too. Got a damn award or some shit by the end of the year for reading the most books in my class."

She brushed his bangs back, exposing his forehead and then leaned down and planted a soft kiss there. "Sounds like your teacher was a good man. And sounds like all you needed was for someone to care enough to help you. You weren't ever dumb, Daryl. You just didn't have the same advantages some other kids have. In fact, I admire you for how far you've come. For how hard you've worked to get here."

He blushed at that and muttered out a, "Thanks."

"Anyway, I better let you get back to studying. I just wanted to see if you were hungry."

She went to push herself off the bed, but he grabbed her hand before she could move. "You can stay and hang out in here with me. If you wanna."

"You sure? I don't wanna get in your way."

He nodded. "I'm sure. I want you here."

()()()

Eventually, he finished eating and had to put his nose back in his notes. Carol stayed in there with him and after a while she'd crawled on top of his back and had started massaging him. He tensed when he felt her start kissing his shoulder blades and threaded her fingers through his hair. "What are you doing, woman?"

"You don't like it?" She teased.

"Fuck yeah I do. But we just did it earlier. That wasn't good enough for you?"

"Oh, it was." She grinned, as she leaned in and caught his earlobe with her teeth. "We aren't gonna be alone all weekend. I figured we could make up for all that missed time now to tide us over. Besides, you've been studying hard all day. You deserve another break and some time to….de-stress."

He pushed himself up and then rolled, flipping her off of him and onto her back. He maneuvered himself on top of her and captured her lips in his. "You're worse than I am. You know that? I think you're one of them dam sex addicts or something."

()()()

Daryl had just pulled her shirt off and was about to go for the clasp on her bra when several loud knocks on their front door startled them both and had him snatching his hands away from her. "Who the fuck could that be?" He growled as he rolled off of her and onto his back.

She let out a frustrated sigh. "I don't know, but I'm going to kill whoever it is." They didn't get visitors often. Never anyone outside of their friends circle, and they would have called first. It couldn't have been Rick, because he had a key, so she really was stumped on who would be showing up at their house right now.

The knocks grew louder and Daryl groaned, looking down at the budding erection he had poking from behind the flimsy material of his shorts.

"I'll get it." Carol offered. "No need for anyone to see how excited you are right now." She reached on the floor and grabbed the first shirt she saw. It was actually the one Daryl had one earlier when he'd gotten home from class, but at the moment, it didn't matter. She just needed something to cover her half naked body when she answered the door. It didn't matter that it was an oversized blue t-shirt with a fish on it.

Carol made her way out of his room and became even more annoyed as the knocking grew louder and angrier. Whoever this was better have a good excuse for interrupting what she had planned and violently banging on their door the way they were doing. "I'm coming." She snapped, as she forcefully reached out and swung the front door open.

Behind it was a very muscular man with a buzz cut, wearing a sleeveless shirt. He had piercing blue eyes that were very striking familiar to her. "Can I help you?" She asked, raising a brow in confusion at the man she'd never seen before in her life.

The man looked her up and down and licked his lips. Then glanced around the front porch, taking in the sight the flowers and the swing. "Actually, I think I might have the wrong damn house." He ran his hand along the scruff of his chin and gave her a sly grin. "But darling, a pretty little thing like you, yeah you might still be able to help me out."

She tilted her head at the suggestive tone in his voice and she didn't try and hide the sass in hers as she folder her arms over her chest and glared at him. "Excuse me?"

Daryl heard the exchange and came running out of his bedroom and almost tripped and face planted in the living room on his way to the front door. He stood behind Carol, staring in disbelief at the man standing at the door.

The man extended his arms widely when he noticed Daryl and a huge grin lined his face. "Well, I'll be damned. It is the right house after all. Don't just stand there, baby brother. Come give ole Merle a hug."


	53. Chapter 53

Daryl hesitantly stepped towards his brother and half-heartedly welcomed the other man's embrace. His head felt like a merry go round, there were so many different thoughts swirling around at the moment, none of which were positive.

Merle showing up out of the blue like this couldn't be a good thing. It never was. Maybe he'd lost his job. Maybe he was on the run from the law. Maybe he needed money to pay off a fine. Maybe he'd knocked some girl up back where he'd been living and he was running from the responsibility of it all. Knowing Merle, there really was no telling. Maybe it was all of those things.

But whatever it was that brought him to town in the first place, well it had the worst fucking timing on the planet to happen. Because adding Merle into the mix of the already precarious situation he was in concerning Carol, well that was like adding gasoline to a fire. Shit was about to go up in flames once Merle Dixon found out about them.

Number one, his brother wasn't going to take his feelings for this woman seriously at all. If he'd thought Rick's laughing at him when he'd tried to confess how he felt about her at the pool hall that night was bad, Merle's reaction was going to be that times a thousand. His brother would be laughing at him worse than a mad hyena.

And even if Merle believed him and took him seriously about what he felt for her, he wasn't going to be receptive or supportive of it at all. Merle didn't believe in relationships. Not at all. People thought that Daryl's number of sexual partners was bad but they didn't know a damn thing. He was sure his brother's number was at least three times as high as his own, maybe much higher than that.

His older brother had a code. And that code focused on three main goals. Get as much pussy as you can. Get as fucked up as you can. And have as much damn fun as you can while doing it.

Merle wouldn't be happy at all with how his younger brother had chosen to live his life this last month. Nope. He wouldn't be happy at all with how settled and routine Daryl's life had become. And he'd let him know it, too. No doubt about that.

Even worse, if he learned that Carol was Rick's sister, which inevitably he would if he was staying here any longer than a few hours, Daryl was sure he'd go through hell and high water just to let the cat out of the bag about what he'd been doing. What they'd been doing.

Merle would get a kick out of the turmoil it started. His brother always loved to stir the pot and cause trouble. He'd been that way since they were kids. It was like he got his rocks off by watching other people squirm.

And Merle would probably have another ulterior motive in mind, as well. His brother would probably be hopeful that it would send their budding relationship crashing and burning before it ever officially got off the ground.

It wasn't that Daryl didn't miss and love his brother. He did. And a part of him was happy to see him, but he wished like hell his brother could have chosen next weekend to pop up, like the Jack in Box he is, instead of blowing into town right now. At least next weekend Carol and Rick would both be out of town and he wouldn't have had to tip toe and walk around on egg shells like he knew he was about to be doing.

Merle slapped Daryl on the back hard before he let go of his younger brother. He smiled at him with that mischievous grin of his as he let go of Daryl and studied his face. "You don't seem too happy to see me, little brother. Why the long face?"

"I just ain't know you were coming. Took me by surprise. That's all." Daryl muttered, still spinning all of those wheels around in his head.

"Shouldn't be too much of a surprise. You think I'd really miss my only brother's twenty-first birthday? Come on, baby boy, you wound me."

Daryl looked at his brother skeptically. There had to be more to this visit than that. "My birthday's next Wednesday. Why are you here now?"

Merle reached forward and pinched Daryl's cheek, then laughed when his younger brother slapped his hand away. "Because I missed that pretty little face of yours. That's why. Besides, you only turn twenty-one once. I gotta make sure you do it right." Merle turned his attention towards Carol and eyed her lecherously. "And who, might I ask, are you, darling? Did ole Rick Grimes finally cut that stuck up bitch of his loose and get him a real lady?"

Daryl cut his eyes at his brother at the way he noticed he was looking at Carol and clenched his fists involuntarily. Another thought suddenly ran through his mind about what Merle might try to do if he found out about him and Carol. And that thought centered around Merle trying to get revenge on Daryl for when he'd nailed that girl Merle had been trying to hook up with a few years ago. And that thought had him internally fuming. Not that he thought Carol would ever go for that, but seeing his brother even try would infuriate him beyond belief.

Carol wasn't exactly sure what to make of this situation or of Daryl's brother himself. Daryl didn't look overly thrilled to see the man standing at their front door and she'd heard enough stories about the man to find a little worry at his unexpected presence herself. It didn't help his case that he'd angrily been banging on their door only a few minutes ago like he owned the damn placed and that now he was staring at her like she was a big juicy steak he couldn't wait to sink his teeth into. But none of that really mattered, she supposed. He was Daryl's brother and that meant she needed to try her best to be friendly and get along with him. She forced a smile at him. "Well, Rick did get an upgrade in the romance department, but it wasn't me. My name's Carol, and I'm actually.."

Daryl butted in before she could say more. "She's Rick's sister." He stammered out nervously. He'd panicked thinking she was going to tell Merle one too many details about them for now.

Carol side-eyed Daryl and then looked back to Merle, whose mischievous grin only seemed to widen at hearing that fact.

"Well, Rick's sister, I never would have guessed that. No sir. Wouldn't have guessed that at all. You're far too beautiful to be kin to Rick Grimes." Merle reached out and extended his hand to hers and when she reciprocated by placing her hand in his he leaned down and placed a kiss there. "It's very nice to meet you, darling. How long will you be here? I hope long enough for me to get to know you better."

Daryl bit down on his bottom lip hard, fighting the urge to tell his brother to get is damn hands off of his woman and to get whatever dirty disgusting thought he had running through his mind about her the fuck out of his head, but he stopped himself. Giving himself a reminder of the shit storm that would likely bring to his life.

Carol pulled her hand back slowly, sneaking a glance at Daryl as she did so. His arms were crossed tightly over his chest as he worked at his bottom lip. She glanced back towards Merle, who was still staring at her expectantly and looking like a cat who was ready to pounce on its prey. Obviously she was said prey in this situation. He probably thought she was some unsuspecting mouse he could have make a meal of while he was here. But even if she wasn't completely gone over his little brother, she couldn't see herself giving in to him, despite the charm he was trying to turn on. The man had trouble written all over his face. The corner of her lip turned up as she went to answer him. "Oh, I'll be here as long as you are." She watched his eyes beam with excitement and shook her head at him. "But that's because I live here."

"Really?" Merle asked, with an intrigued look on his face. "Well, that's about the most interesting damn thing I've heard in a long time. Why don't the two of you catch me up on what happened to that whiny ass bitch Rick was dating and where that cocky ass roommate you had went and how this pretty little thing ended up here in the first place."

"It's kinda long story." Daryl muttered.

Merle stepped all the way in the house and shut the door behind himself. "Oh, that's alright. I'll be here for a week. I got plenty of time."  
()()()

They brought Merle up to speed on the Rick/Shane/Lori love triangle and about all the details concerning Carol and how she ended up living down here. The look on Merle's face when he'd heard that she'd been cheated on was one of someone who appeared to have struck a gold mine and Daryl shot him a don't you dare glare. One that just earned him a slick smile in return. Daryl didn't mention anything about he and Carol to Merle, and thankfully, she didn't even try to bring it up either. Though she did shoot Daryl a few questionable looks during their talk. As if she was trying to read what he was thinking. He wished he could get her alone to discuss things, but there was a fat chance of a moment of peace for the two of them to talk at all while Merle was here.

Luck must've been on his side though, because Merle did briefly step outside to grab his bags out of his truck and it gave Daryl the opportunity to say something. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I don't think we should say nothing about us to my brother."

Carol looked at him curiously. A tinge of nervousness rising in the pit of her stomach. "Are you…are you ashamed for him to know how you feel about me?" The way Daryl had been quick to jump in earlier and the way he'd dominated most of the conversation to Merle had her feeling a little uneasy about where she actually stood with him versus where he'd been telling her she stood. She'd easily picked up on the fact that he hadn't wanted his brother to have any idea about them.

He swept his hands through his hair. "No, of course not. It ain't that. I just….you don't know him. We ain't gonna have a chance to tell Rick if he finds out. He'll do it for us. And he'll make it ten times worse than it's already gonna be."

She supposed she understood that. It made sense in the long run and she couldn't put up too much of a fuss about it since they'd both been hiding it from her own brother. But a part of her did wish Merle knew so that maybe he'd stop looking at her like he was gonna hump her leg any second now. "If that's what you want." She conceded. "But if he decides to start adding being all touchy feely to the way he's ogling at me, I'm breaking his hand. Fair warning."

"Not if I break it first." He mumbled.

()()()

Merle chunked his bag on the floor and then propped his feet up on the coffee table, not failing to make himself right at home. He patted either side of the couch, motioning for his brother and Carol to come join him. Carol walked over and opted for the seat in the recliner, much to Merle's disappointment. "So, Carol?" Merle began.

"Yes, Merle?" She politely replied.

"Being the woman of the house and all, I'm sure you know the answer to this question. What's for dinner? I drove a long way to get here and I could eat a damn horse at this point."

She grinned at him. "Actually, Daryl and I already ate. We were about to start working on dessert when you started banging our or door."

Daryl choked back a laugh and watched his brother carefully. He was waiting for the moment Merle decided to turn off the sweet charm he'd been trying to play and turn into his usual asshole self and smart off at her. And that was one thing Daryl wasn't going to tolerate. Not even from his brother. In all actuality, he was a little worried about how these two were going to get along this next week. Carol's sarcastic nature, which Daryl actually loved about her, and Merle's short temper probably weren't going to mesh well.

"Well, since you didn't get to dessert, I'd be glad to finish it up for you. And uh, whatever left overs you got in the fridge would be nice."

"Actually, Daryl and I are gonna finish dessert up later." She quipped. "But, if you're that hungry you're more than welcome to heat up a frozen pizza. We've got plenty for nights we work late." If this was Rick or Daryl she would've just gone and heated it up for them. No big deal. But Merle was looking at her like he expected her to do just that, and the tone he'd conveyed when he asked her what was for supper assured her that's exactly what he expected, and she'd waited on Ed's lazy ass enough when they'd been together. She wasn't about to be resolved to waiting on Merle Dixon all week. She'd be damned if he was Daryl's brother or not, that wasn't happening.

()()()

Merle grudgingly made his own pizza and purposefully left his dirty dishes on the coffee table after. After, he'd asked Daryl for a cigarette and the two were now on the back porch since Rick didn't like people smoking in the house.

Merle flicked on of the ferns that was hanging beside his head as he leaned over the deck. "That roommate of yours. She's a little spit fire."

"She's something else." Daryl replied, smirking to himself. He was honestly getting a small kick out of how much it seemed to irk Merle that he had to heat his own damn food up.

"Yeah, I see that." Merle flicked the cherry off of his cigarette then turned to face his brother. "Let me ask you something?"

Daryl shifted nervously, wondering if Merle was about to ask him if he'd slept with her or not. "What's that?"

"Is she a lesbian? Did she switch teams after her old man cheated on her?"

"What?" Daryl snorted.

"Well, she's got on that baggy ass shirt that looks like you should be wearing it and not her. I mean, don't get me wrong, she's got a nice face and those legs." Merle licked his lips. "I bet she's hiding a nice pair of tits under there." He reached out and squeezed an invisible pair of boobs in the air." Then there's the fact that she don't cook. I mean, what the fucks up with that? You got a damn woman living in the house that don't put food on the table."

"She does cook you dumbass." Daryl barked. "She cooks better than any damn woman I ever met in my life. She went out with some friends earlier and they got something to eat. She brought me something back. Most nights she cooks dinner for me and Rick after working ten hour days." Daryl shook his head. "And she ain't a lesbian either. But you best not be getting no ideas when it comes to her. You hear me?" He growled out.

Merle snorted at that. "Little brother, if I didn't know better I'd think you was sweet on little Ms. Grimes."

Daryl ignored him. "I mean it Merle. Don't even think about trying to touch her. That's Rick's sister and he's really protective of her."

Merle tossed his cigarette down and stomped it out. "Sounds like he ain't the only one who is, little brother. What? You don't want me to hit so you can have a chance when the timings right? We're already blood brothers, you don't wane be Eskimo brothers, too?"

Daryl chuckled and stomped his own cigarette out. "She wouldn't give your ass the time of day no way. Don't even matter."

"Eh, you're probably right. She seems like the kinda girl who'd make you work for it. I ain't in the mood for working for shit tonight. Why don't we go hit up a few bars? Get us both a piece of tail and get shit faced drunk for old time's sake."

"Nah, I can't."

"And just why not?" Merle challenged.

"I got finals tomorrow. My ass has gotta stay here and study. Ain't no way I'll pass hungover and shit."

"Sounds like your ass needs you to get the stick out of it. Come on and live a little, baby brother."

"I told you, I can't."

"Fine." Merle huffed. "We can just go out tomorrow then."

Daryl shook his head at that, as well. "Got plans tomorrow. All weekend actually. Going to the lake with my friends after work."

"I'm your fucking brother. You can't cancel plans with those damn people you see all the time to spend time with me?"

"You showed up without warning, Merle. It'd be different if I knew you were coming, but I made plans and I ain't putting my life on hold just because you decided you wanted to pop in for the first time in God knows how long. You're more than welcome to come with us. And I hope you do, because I do miss your aggravating ass, but you can't just show up at my door like that and think I'm gonna do whatever the fuck you want me to just because you blew into town."

 **(Thanks for reading and reviewing! Hope you enjoyed the update.)**


	54. Chapter 54

**I hope this story is still interesting and enjoyable. Thanks to everyone who is reading and special thanks to those of you reviewing.**

A furious banging sound and the screaming of his name had Daryl snapping awake in his bed the next morning. He shot up, his eyes popping open so suddenly they didn't have to adjust to the morning light. To say he was startled by the unexpected, and highly un-welcome, wake-up call would be a vast understatement. His heart was hammering so fast inside his chest he thought the thing would pound its way right on out of his chest cavity.

"Damn it, Daryl! Wake the fuck up!" Rick Grimes screamed once more from behind the door and he forcefully kicked, causing the entire door to vibrate.

"I'm fucking awake." Daryl barked back. He was very annoyed with the angry, abrupt manner he'd been woken up in. And he was still so asleep he couldn't even begin to process why Rick would be waking him up in such a way to begin with. Nor did he care at the moment.

As soon as Rick heard Daryl's voice, it was enough of an invitation for him to decide it was okay to burst into the room. Because the door quickly bolted open, hitting the wall and creating another loud bang, as Rick darted into his room. Eyes dark, jaw clenched, fists balled, he stared at Daryl as he let out a low growl. "How in the fuck did this happen?"

Daryl tensed. His eyes grew wide as saucers. Rick's sudden presence in his room jarred him into a semi-coherent state that left him feeling like the only reason his best friend and roommate would storm into his bedroom this early in the morning would be because he'd somehow found out about he and Carol. He swallowed hard and hung his head, unable to look Rick in the eyes. "I don't know." He muttered. "It just….it kinda just happened." That's the only thing he could think to say, because thinking back, it hadn't been some elaborate plan of his. He hadn't even planned to make a move until she started showing clear interest in him shortly after moving her moving in.

"It kinda happened?" Rick bellowed. "How did it just kinda happen? It was a choice. It didn't just happen." Rick looked at Daryl and shook his head disapprovingly. "Don't make excuses for your brother."

Daryl's head jerked up at that. He arched his brows in confusion at his friend. "What?"

"Don't play dumb with me." Rick snorted. "I came home from Michonne's this morning to get dressed for class and I find your brother in my bed, butt ass naked, with some random woman. What the fuck, Daryl? When you texted me last night and told me he was gonna be staying with us for a week I said it was no big deal. But that's when I thought he was gonna be sleeping on the couch, not fucking random girls in my bed."

Daryl cocked his head at that. He'd had no idea Merle had ended up in Rick's room last night. Hell, he'd had no idea Merle even made it home last night, to be truthful. After Daryl refused to go downtown with him, he'd asked Carol. Merle had said it would give the two of them a chance to get to know one another better.

She'd also refused his offer, giving him the excuse that she had to work tomorrow and couldn't be getting plastered. Though, Daryl hoped anyway, she wouldn't have gone even if she hadn't of had to work. Not that he didn't trust her or thought she'd ever consider doing anything with his brother. But he didn't trust Merle with her. Not at all. Especially not an alcohol inhibited Merle. He wasn't a rapist or nothing, he wouldn't make her do anything she didn't wanna do, but he wouldn't put it past Merle to grab her tits or ass in an effort to make a move if he'd had enough to drink. And Daryl didn't have enough resolve in the world not to let that bother him or let Merle know he didn't appreciate that shit in the least.

So, with a lot of bitching and whining, Merle had ended up going alone. Saying he needed to get laid and that he wasn't coming home until that happened. Because in his words, he needed a piece or his testicles just might explode. After all, he'd gone a whole two days without busting a nut. He said it was just plain unhealthy.

And Daryl hadn't thought much else about Merle not returning before he'd gone to bed. Hell, he damn sure hadn't expected his brother to bring some girl back to their place and fuck her. Let alone in Rick's room of all places.

And as unhappy as Rick was about this whole situation, Daryl felt so fucking relieved it actually wasn't Rick finding out about his secret affair with his sister. Dealing with that fallout would have made it really hard to concentrate on finals today.

He looked up at his friend apologetically and shrugged. "I ain't know he was gonna do that. If it helps, I'll make him buy you some new sheets."

"That's it?" Rick huffed. "That's all you're gonna do?"

"What do you want me to do? Buy you a new damn bed? Burn your room down?"

"He's still butt ass naked in my bed! And so is that girl. I want you to get them fuck out of my room."

"Why ain't you wake them up?"

"Gee, I don't know? I didn't think to try that." He rolled his eyes. "They're passed the fuck out. And I'm not touching either one of them while they're naked like that. Your brother, your responsibility."

Daryl rolled his eyes back at Rick and tossed his blankets off of himself. He was only wearing boxers and when he stood to stretch he caught Carol out of the corner of his eye, standing in their hallway and quirking an eyebrow at him. He nodded at her, the corner of his lips turning into a smile when he noticed her eyes dipping down his torso. He returned a lingering gaze on her, starting with how her breasts, that were nicely being displayed to the low cut tank top she had on.

Rick noticed Daryl's attention turn in his direction and the corner of his lips turning up .He looked at his friend curiously, then let his eyes grow wide when he noticed how "friendly" Daryl was starting to look standing there in only his boxers. He felt himself grow extremely uncomfortable. "Dude." Rick hissed, bringing a hand over his eyes and shielding his view as he snapped around. "You really need to get laid. Like, really." Rick started to dart out the door, with a hand still covering his eyes, but quickly pulled his hand away when he felt himself smack clean into something. He opened his eyes to see he'd ran into his sister. Who was only wearing a white tank top and a pair of form fitting running shorts that appeared to be made out of the same material leggings were.

Rick looked at his sister. Then glanced back to Daryl, who was shielding his crotch with his hands and his cheeks were sporting a bright shade of red. Rick just groaned as he looked down at the floor with an angry scowl. "I fucking hate today already. What else could possibly go wrong? Merle's naked in my bed and there's probably herpagonasyphaltis on my sheets. And I just had to watch you start to get a hard on from looking at my sister. By the way, she's practically fully clothed. Seriously dude, you need to get laid. It's gotta be okay to do that by now."

()()()

Daryl managed to wake his brother and that strange woman up and get them out of Rick's bed. The woman was none too pleased to find out that she hadn't actually been taken back to Merle's house, and that she hadn't been in Merle's room, and that the bike parked in the yard hadn't been Merle's. Nor was she happy to find out that Merle's name wasn't actually Mark.

She'd slapped Merle so hard that he hit the back of Rick's head board, then he'd made things worse by saying he wished he'd known she liked it that rough last night. The woman proceeded to slap him again before she wrapped herself in Rick's sheet then gathered her clothes up and stormed out of the house.

After she'd left, Daryl had gathered Rick' sheets up upon Rick's request, then tossed them in the trash. He was going to tell Merle had had to buy new ones, but he knew the likelihood of that happening was about as good as Rick giving him a big ole hug when he found out about him and Carol. So, he just resigned himself to the fact that he'd stop by the super store and buy a pair of sheets for his roommate on the way home.

After he came back inside, he showered and got dressed for work, and by the time he was done with that he found Rick and Merle already at the kitchen table fixing plates from where Carol had made breakfast. Like she normally did, she'd had one ready for him and sat it down in front his usual seat with a smile. And like he usually did, he returned a smile of his own and muttered a thanks.

"You know?" Merle began, with a mouth full of pancakes as he looked towards Carol. "You can damn sure cook, darling."

Carol smiled, genuinely, at his compliment. "Thank you, Merle."

"Mmmm. Mmmmm. Mmmmmm." He savored another bite. "I tell you what. If you can fuck half as good as you cook, well, I'd even consider wifing your sweet little ass up."

Rick dropped the bite of pancake he'd been about to shove in his mouth. "Merle." He snapped. "That's my sister. Watch your damn mouth."

At the same time, Daryl clenched his fists and kicked his brother hard underneath the table. "What the fuck, Merle?" He growled. "You don't talk to her like that. What'd I tell you last night?"

Carol looked at Merle, a smile playing at her own lips. It was about the most offensive, repulsive, yet strangely, almost flattering thing she'd ever heard. Though, she wasn't going to let him know that. "Well, aren't you romantic? Should I just drop my pants now and let you have your way with me or should I wait until you wife my sweet little ass up?"

Merle grinned widely at that and his eyes brightened. "You saying you can fuck damn near as good as you cook?"

She took a bite of her own pancakes and shook her head at him. "That's a question you'll never personally know the answer to."

()()()

After they finished breakfast Carol and Rick had gone to their rooms to finish getting what they needed for class and work respectively. Daryl was left alone in the kitchen with his brother. He and Rick alternated clearing the table since she did most of the cooking and he heard Merle snicker at him as he moved the dishes to the sink. He scowled down at the blue, flower patterned china plate in his hand before dropping the dish on top of all of the others.

"You growing a vagina now that you live with a woman?" Merle quipped.

"Shut up, asshole." He muttered as he spun around. He leaned against the counter and crossed his legs as he looked over at his brother who was eyeing him

Merle had kicked his feet up in Daryl's vacant chair as he crossed his arms behind his head. "Why ain't you trying to hit that?" He nodded behind him. "You really that loyal to Rick? Or she just turn your pitiful ass down when you did try?"

"Mind your own business Merle." Daryl huffed. "Don't worry about where my dick goes. And start worrying about where you choose to use yours while you're here. You can't be fucking girls in Rick's room."

"Yeah, yeah." Merle muttered. "Say, you think I fucked up my chances of getting with Carol by bringing that girl back here?"

Daryl just laughed at him. "You ain't had a damn chance with her to start with."

"Better one than you did."

"Pfft. Okay."

"You wanna bet?"

"What?"

"You heard me." Merle replied, swinging his legs off of the chair and planting them firmly on the floor. "You wanna bet which one of us can get with her first? I got a hundred bucks on myself."

"I'm not making that bet with you. And you need too fucking stop acting like this about her. I'm serious." He warned.

Merle looked at his younger brother with disgust. "Who the fuck are you? Damn, you really are growing a pussy ain't you? We bet on who could get a three-way faster when I visited you over Christmas. As I recall, you ain't have a damn problem with that bet. And you rubbed the damn twenties in my face after you fucking won."

"Fifties. They were fifties. Three of them to be exact." Daryl corrected with a small laugh. "But that's different."

"How."

"Because it fucking is. Okay? Carol ain't some damn girl from the bar. So stop acting like….acting like your damn self for five minutes and treat her with some fucking respect while you're here."

Merle titled his head and studied his little brother.

"We're about to head out." Rick announced, stepping into the kitchen and interrupting the stare down between the brothers. "I'm probably gonna go straight to the lake house after work, unless you want all of us to go in my car."

"Nah, its alrgiht. Me and Carol can go on my bike. Go on ahead. Glenn and Shawn should be there before the rest of us get off work."

Rick nodded and threw up his hand as he headed for the front door. "I'll see you this evening then."

"See you." Daryl replied.

Carol walked in the kitchen from her way out of her bedroom and walked over to Daryl. She placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him an encouraging smile. "Good luck on your finals today. I know you're gonna do awesome, though."

He covered the hand she had resting on his shoulder with one of his own and gave it a tight squeeze. "Thanks. I'll see you at work later on." He watched as she pulled her hand away and headed for the door. He kept his eyes on her until the front door closed, then looked back over at Merle who was once again studying him. "You gonna go with us to the lake this weekend or you gonna hang around here so you can keep picking up girls all weekend?"

"Oh yeah. I'm definitely fucking going to the lake. I think there's gonna be a lot of stuff there I wanna see there."

 **(I know. I know. You're probably all waiting on the lake weekend to start and wishing I'd get to it already. I promise, we dive straight into that next chapter.)**


	55. Chapter 55

**Thanks for reading and reviewing! If updates get a little lax, I apologize. I always have a harder time updating when I start reaching the end of my stories for some reason. I probably sub-consciously just don't want them to end. Not sure how much more this one has, exactly, but I know we're on a path to the end.**

Daryl and Carol had to stop at their house after work that evening before heading over to the lake house with all of their friends. They needed to grab their bags for the weekend so that they'd have changes of clothes, toiletries, swimming attire, and some junk food stashed away that they could snack on.

Carol, always one for being prepared, had packed her bag the night before and would have been ready to go within minutes of stepping inside. But Daryl, on the other hand, being the last minute person he was, hadn't packed a thing. Not a single damn thing.

But Carol was actually grateful for his procrastination this evening, because it meant she would actually get a few moments alone with him before they began their crowded weekend with friends and family. And she knew the chances of actually being alone with him the entire weekend, the chances of kissing him, touching him. Well, they were slim to none with all of those extra eyes around. And she doubted she'd have much time to touch him today, but she'd still like to steal a few little kisses and some moments alone with him while she could.

Thankfully, when Rick had swung by the house earlier to gab his things, Merle had opted to go ahead and ride to the lake with Rick right then instead of waiting for his brother. He'd told Daryl he couldn't spend another damn minute in the house alone and doing nothing.

Which had made Daryl snort and then he told Carol that sitting around the house in his underwear drinking beer, eating chips, and watching TV was one his brother's favorite past times.

It was strange, she thought to herself, how different the two brothers were. Not only in looks, but personality as well.

She didn't know Merle very well, yet. And because of that, she was trying desperately hard not to judge him or form too harsh of an opinion on him. Maybe, despite his lewd nature and the fact that almost every single thing she'd heard come out of his mouth at this point had been at least somewhat offensive, maybe he had a good heart. Maybe the man had a lot of redeeming qualities she hadn't yet witnessed. But she had to admit, she just wasn't sure quite how to take him yet or exactly what to think of him. He had a certain, almost volatile, quality about him that made her a little nervous.

()()()

Daryl had been in the bathroom grabbing his toothbrush, shampoo, deodorant, and a few towels to put in his duffle bag. He'd left Carol in his room, who'd volunteered to pack him a few pair of clothes. He hadn't objected, knowing it would save him time and being sure she'd pick out something for him nicer to wear than he would have himself. Hell, he probably would have just tossed in a pair of swim trunks and a cut off t-shirt. He didn't see the point in having much to wear when they'd mostly be on the water all weekend.

But, the fact that the girl he was sleeping with, and was completely crazy about, was going to be in said house all weekend, he supposed she might want to see him not smelling like musk, fish, worms, and lake water at some point over the weekend. So, he didn't really protest about having a few extra pair of clean clothes lying around.

Daryl moseyed his way back in his room after tossing the items he needed into his bag. He slipped up behind Carol, who was standing in front of his bed, and folding one of his shirts, and gently placed a hand on either side of her hips.

He chuckled when she let out a surprised gasp at his touch and gently placed a kiss on her neck. "I scare you?"

"You startled me a bit." She chuckled back, leaning further against him ad covering his hands with hers after dropping his shirt on the bed.

He placed two more kisses along her neckline, soliciting a few satisfied moans. He grinned against her skin as he gently began to suck at the nape of her neck.

She let go of his hands, turning around swiftly to face him. She brought her hands to the side of his face, bringing his lips to hers in a desperate kiss. She could feel him backing her up as he intensified the kiss, slowly moving a hand over her lower back as he steadied them both and lowered her onto his bed.

He was desperate to finish what she'd started the night before. Even though she'd been the one to initiate, he'd damn sure gotten into the mood as soon as she had and he ached for that release. For her. That's why he'd gotten that embarrassing ass boner in front of Rick when he'd seen her first thing this morning. And if he didn't bust a damn nut before he went to the lake house, he was sure he'd be walking around with a hard on all weekend having to stare at her in a bikini and knowing there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it.

He'd tried to resume things after Merle left, but she wouldn't let things go farther than kissing. She'd been worried Merle would pop back in and she'd pointed out a valid concern that Merle wouldn't have the same courtesy Rick did when it came to knocking on a closed door before he entered a room. And as much as Daryl hated to admit it, she had a damn point. Merle would no doubt bust in the room without so much as a knock and catch them in the act.

But Merle wasn't here right now, and he wouldn't be alone with her again for days, if that since Merle was going to be here until next Thursday, so he wanted to take advantage of this opportunity.

He cupped the back of her neck with one hand, intensifying the kiss, pushing his hips further into hers, as he let his hand slip under the thin fabric of her shirt. Tracing her rib cage with his fingertips, slowly working his way up to her breast.

"Daryl." She forced out, breathlessly, when he removed his lips from hers. "We can't...we need to…" She groaned when he captured her lips again, catching her bottom lip with his teeth. She weakly pushed against his chest, being torn between her want for him and the smarter option of not showing up much later than everyone else. "We don't have time. They'll know something's up."

He dipped his head down again and turned his attention to her neck, then her collarbone. "I can be real quick. Please, sweetheart, I want you. So damn bad."

His voice came out low, sultry, and sweet, all at that same time, and it made her want him even more than she already did. But it did something else to her, too. His words took her by surprise because he'd never used a pet name with her before. And she'd never expected to hear him call her by one either. Sure, he could be immensely sweet when he wanted to, but he just didn't seem the type to use pet names. But she'd be damned if it didn't make her stomach twist to hear it and if the words didn't sound perfect coming from his lips, even if they were lust induced.

When he looked up at her to see if he was succeeding, she was grinning at him, causing him to cock an eyebrow at her. "What you smiling at me like that for?"

She shrugged her shoulders as she ran a hand over his bangs so she could get a better view of those gorgeous blue eyes of his. "What you said. It was just…I don't know, I liked it. You should say it more often."

"What are you talking about, woman? I tell you I want you all the time. Hell, even if I didn't, we fuck every chance we get. Figured you'd know by now how riled up you get me. I got a damn boner looking at you while you was fully clothed earlier right in front of your damn brother."

"Not that." She chuckled. "You called me sweetheart."

His felt his face start to burn. He hadn't realized he'd even said that.

"I said I liked it. No need to be embarrassed." She placed a kiss on his lips." It was sweet." Then she moved to his jaw and placed a kiss there. "And sexy." Then she moved her mouth over his neck, her breath coming out hot and heavy against his skin. "Very, very sexy."

He let out a moan as she continued working her way down, pushing his shirt out of the way and suckling at his collar bone. "Damn, sweetheart." He repeated, hoping if using it the first time got this reaction from her that using it again would somehow convince her to keep going and risk being late.

And it did the trick, because she let out a satisfied grunt against his skin before she started pulling his shirt off. "We've gotta be quick, really quick." She murmured."

"Yes ma'am." He growled. "Quick and efficient."

()()()

They arrived at the lake house, and to no surprise to either of them, it looked as if everyone else was already there. Rick's car was present, as well as Shawn's, Maggie's and Michonne's. Daryl assumed Glenn just rode with Maggie's brother to save the parking space, which was a good idea considering the small, slanted driveway that led to the lake house. The place was obviously never meant to house a lot of people.

Daryl led the way to the entrance on the side of the house with Carol in tow behind him. Both shouldering their duffle bags. He opened the side door, which led them into the living room of the house, which happened to also be connected to a small kitchen. None of their friends were inside, and he glanced out of the window and spotted them all on the back deck that overlooked the lake. They were standing around a grill talking. Some of them drinking beer.

He let his bag fall of his shoulder and onto the couch and motioned for Carol to do the same. "You see that." He pointed to a small hallway between the kitchen and the living room.

She nodded.

"There's two bedrooms back there. The one on the right, Glenn and Maggie are probably gonna take it. It's just got one bed in it. The one on the left, it's got two futon bunk beds. I reckon most of us will end up sleeping in there. We'll figure it out later. The door at the end of the hall, between those two rooms, that's the bathroom. Only one in the house. Good thing I can piss in the yard."

Carol glanced around the room. Not very surprised by the old, dusty furniture or the musky smell that seemed to linger in the place. Almost every lake house she'd ever been in that wasn't regularly lived in were in a similar state. She was, however, a little surprised by the lack of space. With three kids between them, she assumed Hershel and Annette would have opted for a larger lake house. This was definitely going to be a tight fit this weekend. Seven people in a two bedroom, one bathroom house. Things were going to get cramped. Fast."

"We should go on out there." He nodded towards the deck. "They're probably wondering why we ain't here."

"I tried to be the voice of reason. Yet, you called me sex addict the other day."

"You are." He chuckled. "You're the one who pulled my shirt off."

"After you begged me and starting being all sexy and sweet and stuff!"

He shrugged before reaching for the door. "Not my fault you're so damn good at it you make me want you all the time."

()()()

No one had seemed to have paid any attention to the fact that the duo had arrived until they heard the creak of the door opening. He wasn't surprised at that, though. He'd practically coasted along the narrow, winding road that led to the house. So his bike probably hadn't put off much noise, add to it the fact that the radio was blaring on the deck, and he assumed it drowned out any noise of them arriving. Once their presence was known, however, everyone turned to face them. A few annoyed glances being thrown their way.

"Bout time you got here." Glenn whined. "We've been waiting on the two of you so we could eat."

Carol looked over to see Merle and Shawn standing by the grill with spatulas in hand and plates ready to be served. "Sorry. You know Daryl. He didn't pack until the last minute."

"I bet he didn't." Merle grinned, then turned and looked towards his little brother "You hungry or did you have a nice little snack before you left the house?"

"Hungry as fuck." Daryl replied. "Ain't ate shit since lunch."

"Oh, I bet you are." Merle grinned again. "I'm sure you worked up quite the appetite back at the house. All that packing you were doing and all. Shoving in as much as you could. Just trying to cram more and more in until you got as much as you could until the little thing couldn't hold no more. Tell me? Was it a tight fit?"

If Carol had been drinking or eating at the moment, she would have choked to death. She didn't miss a single bit of the lewd, innuendo that Merle had just made. She could feel her face pale as she anxiously glanced around to look at the other people standing on the deck. Shawn had an eyebrow arched, and subtly looked between her and Daryl, Daryl looked like he wanted to kick his brother right in the nuts, Maggie's mouth was gaping slightly, Michonne was hesitantly glancing at Rick with a concerned look on her face, and Glenn and Rick appeared to be oblivious to what had just been said.

"I'm sure Daryl had a lot of room left." Rick offered. "He doesn't really carry a big load when he goes anywhere."

Merle's eyes danced at that and his face turned red from working so hard to stifle back a fit of laughter. "Is that right? You ain't carrying a big load, little brother? What about it, Carol? What kinda load is he working with?"

"Oh my God." Glenn groaned. "I don't give a damn about Daryl's load or whatever he put in his damn bag. I just wanna fucking eat already."

"I agree." Maggie chimed in. "It was a long day for all of us at the clinic. We could really use some food."

()()()

Everyone sat around on the deck chatting and eating the grilled hamburgers and hot dogs that Merle and Shawn had cooked up. Maggie decided that the guys would be responsible for cooking supper the entire weekend, which was almost an unsettling thought at first. Though, Carol did have to admit that Merle and Shawn did a nice job on tonight's meal. So, maybe they all wouldn't die of food poisoning.

Though, if Merle kept tossing hints around about her and Daryl, she might be wishing for a way to be put out of her misery before the weekend was over. She wasn't honestly sure if he knew, or suspected, that anything actually was going on between them. I mean, after all, how could he, really? They hadn't arrived all that later than they would have if they hadn't of gotten a quickie in before they left. And for all anyone knew, Daryl could have had trouble finding something he needed. She wasn't sure why Merle's mind would jump to the conclusion that they'd fooled around before heading to the lake.

Maybe he was just trying to get a rise out of both of them, he seemed to be quite good at doing that to people. But even if that's all there was to it, she worried his comments might make bring about questions she didn't wanna answer this weekend.

Maggie walked up and tapped Carol on the shoulder. Daryl was sitting beside her and she gave him a nod to get his attention as well. "Go put your swimsuits on. We're all gonna get in the lake."

Everyone else had been dressed to swim when they'd gotten there, so only she and Daryl were left to change. She gave Maggie a small smile as she reached to grab her and Daryl's plates. "We'll get changed and be right down.

Maggie leaned in close to Carol and pressed her lips next to her friend's ear. "You better change in the room Glenn and I are staying in and you better make sure he changes somewhere else. This is a tight space and a lot of people are around. You can't hide things so easily here."

()()()

Michonne was walking around the edge of the property, taking in the scenery around her. She loved coming to this little lake house. It was peaceful and serine. And the good thing about it was that it was on an end of the lake that wasn't as inhabited as a lot of the places around here had become. There was still a sizable distance between this house and ones beside it.

She glanced out past the dock, where Glenn, Maggie and Shawn were already in the lake. Maggie was lounging on a tube. She saw Glenn and Shawn share a look and then dip under water and the next thing she knew Maggie was screaming and being tipped off of her float.

Michonne chuckled to herself as she watched Maggie come up swinging at her brother and her boyfriend.

She started heading back towards the dock when she passed Merle on the edge of the lake. He was sitting in a fold out chair with a fishing pole in one hand and a beer in the other. Occasionally glancing over his shoulder or taking in his surroundings. She took the opportunity to silently approach him from behind.

"My, my, sugar, I thought you were Grime's woman now. But hey, by all means, if you wanna come over and sit on Merle's lap, be my guest." He patted his knee and turned and shot her a lascivious grin. "I won't tell if you won't."

She shook her head and stepped beside him. "And here I was, getting worried because you were being so quiet."

He eyed her up and down, admiring her athletic form being perfectly displayed in the bright blue bikini she was wearing. "Awfully sweet of you to worry about me. Were you thinking of ways to try and make me better, too?"

"In your dreams, Dixon."

Merle chuckled at that. "You probably will be tonight. Carol and Maggie, too. But if the three of you want, you can come make that dream a reality. I ain't never had three woman at the same time before. Maybe you girls can make a man's dream come true."

She snorted at that. "I think I liked it better when you were being quiet."

He reeled his line in, checking the bait before casting it out again. He pursed his lips and looked up at Michonne. "I was studying, darling. Gotta be quiet when you study. Gonne be a doing a lot of that this here weekend. Taking a page out my baby brother's book on that one. But you, being a college girl and all, you should know all about that."

Michonne met his eyes, carefully trying to read his face, but there was a seriousness in his expression there. One that made her immensely uncomfortable. "What exactly are you studying?"

He hummed. "It's my own personal research project. I can't go talking about it until I get my results."

Just then Michonne heard voices approaching and turned her head slightly to see Daryl and Carol walking towards the dock. Daryl in a pair of camo swim shorts and a gray tank top, and Carol in a pink and black bikini. They were sharing a laugh about something and walking so close their hands were almost touching.

She kept her eye on them as they strolled towards the dock. Daryl stopped and was reaching in the boat house for something and Carol kept walking until she was standing at the end of the dock. She started talking to Maggie, who was already in the water. She kept her eye on them, noticing Daryl take two floats out of the boat house and then press two fingers to his lips as he locked eyes with the three people in the lake and gently set the floats on the dock. He got a running start and barreled towards Carol, sweeping an arm around her waist and slinging them both into the water as she emitted a scream. Laughter and splashing erupted after, though she couldn't hear what, if anything, was being said or see either of them now. They were being blocked by the front of the dock.

She took a chance and glanced over at Merle, who appeared to have been watching the entire scene unfold just as she had. His jaw was set tightly, the same serious look on his face he'd been wearing a moment ago.

She grimaced slightly and turned her head in the direction of her boyfriend who was on the other side of the dock, fishing off the edge of the lake on the other side of the property. He was also in a fold out chair with a beer in one hand and a fishing pole in the other. It was almost strange to her, seeing Rick and Merle be almost mirror images of each other at the moment. They were essentially nothing alike, though she highly suspected, thanks to their respective siblings, they had a hell of a lot more in common than they knew. Or at least than Rick knew.


	56. Chapter 56

**To be honest, I probably could/could've made this 100 chapters or more. It's been a lot of fun for me to write on. But I didn't/don't want the story to get boring or redundant and people to stop reading Here's the next chapter. I hope you enjoy. Thanks for reading.**

The group stayed out in the lake until well after the sun dipped below the horizon. Merle, Rick, and Michonne had eventually joined the others in the water at different points during the evening. Once everyone seemed too tired of swimming for the night, they all got out, dried off, and headed back inside the house.

Maggie got the blender out and started making a few drinks. She insisted on celebrating the end of the semester and the fact that they would be starting their senior year of college in the fall. They guys opted for beers and passing around the bottle of liquor that Maggie had used to make those fruity blue drinks for herself, Michonne, and Carol. Though, Merle seemed to be hogging most of the bottle.

The group formed a circle around the small space in the living room chatting and drinking until someone suggested that they play a game. The idea for been pong was thrown around, but the tight space and small table didn't really make that a plausible option. Merle wanted to play strip poker, but that idea got vehemently shot down by everyone in the room. Shawn tossed out the idea of Never Have I Ever and everyone finally seemed to agree on it without too much hesitation, though the male/female siblings in the room made some faces, knowing they might have to hear a few things they didn't want to about each other.

"Okay, who goes first?" Shawn asked, looking around the circle.

"I say we start with Glenn and go clockwise." Maggie suggested, who was sitting next to him.

Shawn nodded in agreeance. "That good with everyone?"

Everyone else in the room muttered yes or nodded their heads.

"You're up little man." Merle smirked, taking a large swig from the bottle of liquor in his hand. "Make it a good one."

Glenn scratched his chin. "Uh, never have I ever kissed a guy."

The girls let out a few sighs and rolled their eyes as they took a drink.

Next it was Maggie's turn and she just shrugged. "Never have I ever kissed a girl."

The guys all took a drink.

"Oh my, God." Merle groaned. "Y'all are fucking lame. Make this shit interesting. Don't ask stupid shit we already know the answer to. This is a good way to find out all kinds of embarrassing shit on people in here. Use your fucking heads, people.

Next up it was Shawn's turn and he smirked devilishly. "Never have I ever had sex with someone more than ten years older than me."

Merle and Daryl both took a drink and their friends laughed.

"Who was she?" Rick asked and nodded towards Daryl. "Professor Litchkey?"

Daryl chuckled at that, thinking about the attractive teacher they had for psychology freshman year. "Nah, a stripper named Candy and, uh." He chanced and awkward glance at Carol, then looked down shamefully. He didn't really like re-hashing his sexual history in front of her. "Professor Dozier last year. I had one too many tequila's at The Buff to celebrate the end of the year." When he looked up at Carol again he saw she was biting her bottom lip and it made him shift uncomfortably.

Glenn's eyes grew wide thinking of their history professor. "Dude, she was like fifty."

"See, now we're getting somewhere." Merle laughed. "That's the kinda shit I liked to hear asked." He leaned in and fist bumped Shawn.

"Who's fucking next?" Daryl muttered.

"My turn." Michonne chuckled. "Never have I ever ran around outside naked."

Maggie, Shawn, and Merle all drank to that and the group's eyes landed on Maggie expectantly.

"Do tell." Michonne pressed.

"Nothing to tell." She dismissed. "Mine and Shawn's high school graduation party. Truth or Dare."

Next up was Rick and he shot an angry glare at Merle. "Never have I ever had sex in a friend's bed."

Merle smiled widely at Rick and turned the bottle up. "Sorry, Grimes, but I really don't regret it. Girl was a damn freak."

Carol was sitting beside her brother and she was up next. She racked her brain, trying to think of something to get the theme off of sexual questions for a while. It wasn't that she was really jealous of women Daryl had been with before her, but she didn't like the flash of images that entered her brain at those thought either. They made her stomach sink a little. "Never have I ever shop lifted."

Of course, Merle drank again. It was becoming pretty obvious he was going to get really wasted, really fast, in this game. It didn't seem like there was much he hadn't done. But to everyone's surprise, Maggie drank again, too.

"I went through a rough patch when my dad starting dating Annette." She replied, defensively. "I was young and angry and I did some stupid things."

Daryl was next and he ran a finger along the top of his beer bottle as he pondered what to say. "Ain't never taken a pregnancy test."

The girls all drank at that and he shot Carol a curious look. But not as curious as the one everyone shot Rick when he drank.

"Well, not me personally." He clarified. "But when I was with Lori, there was a time we thought…." Rick trailed off and shook the thought from his head.

"My turn, fuckers." Merle rubbed his hands together, grinning wickedly at his prey around the circle. "I ain't never told nobody I was fucking that I loved them." He let his eyes roam all over the room as he watched Glenn and Maggie take sips, Shawn refrained, Michonne and Rick sipped from their drinks, then Carol followed, and he let his eyes stop and linger on his younger brother last. Daryl didn't drink, didn't offer to, but Merle noticed him give a thoughtful glance at the woman beside him and glance away from her quickly and return his eyes to the middle of the circle.

()()()

The game continued on for a good while, and by now, everyone had been forced to drink and admit shameful things more than a few times. It was safe to say that the majority of people in the room were feeling pretty good right about now.

"Okay, okay." Michonne giggled. "Never have I ever…you know." She giggled furiously another moment, causing everyone else around her let out small laughs of their own. She regained her composure a moment later, still grinning. "You know, eaten out of the back door so to speak."

Daryl cocked an eyebrow at that. "What?"

Merle slapped his brother on the back. "She's talking about eating asshole, you dumb fuck. Diving for chocolate so to speak." Merle turned his bottle up without shame.

Carol grimaced and turned towards Merle. "Is there anything you haven't done?"

He licked his lips at that. "Not much, darling, but I'd be happy to be able to say nothing if you wanna help me finish the list.

Daryl scowled at Merle and scooted closer to Carol to the point that their knees were now touching. When he looked up at him he noticed most of his friends were staring at him. "What?"

Rick shrugged. "Well, you are kinda Merle's brother and you've been with a lot of women, too. We're kinda wondering…"

Carol's head snapped towards Daryl. "Please tell me you haven't done that." She squeaked out.

"Fuck no!" He snapped. "I ain't done that shit. I can count the number of girls I ate out on one hand. You think I'm putting my tongue in some bitch's ass that I barely know?"

"Well, you kinda put your dick in them." Glenn offered.

"With a condom! That's different."

"Come one!" Merle barked. "Y'all prude ass mother fuckers telling me I'm the only one that's ever done that shit? I don't believe it for a second."

"Moving on." Maggie interrupted. "Rick, I think it's your turn."

"Alright. Umm, never have I ever smoked a cigarette."

"Like, tried it, or smoke in general?" Shawn asked for clarification.

"Either." Rick replied.

Everyone in the room took a sip and Rick looked at all of them with disappointment. "Seriously? Am I the only one that's never tried it?" He narrowed his eyes on his sister. "Carol, when did you try it? I thought you hated smoking because mom and dad do it?"

She looked up at her brother. A slow grin spreading across her face until she erupted into a fit of laughter. He was looking at her like her own father would if he knew she was smoking and after all the alcohol she'd drank tonight, she found that look to be hilarious. "Sorry, little brother. But I've been smoking since I was eighteen. Hell, I smoked a cigarette with Daryl right before we came over here." She laughed some more at her admission and fell forwards. Daryl grabbed her to keep her from toppling over and steadied her.

Rick narrowed his eyes on Daryl and shot his friend a menacing look and turned his attention towards his sister again. "So you've been smoking behind my back the whole time you were living here and he's been giving you cigarettes?"

She rolled her eyes at that. "I love you, little brother, and it is sweet how protective you are over me sometimes, but guess what? I'm a grown ass woman, Rick Grimes. And If I wanna smoke, guess what, I'm gonna smoke." She pointed a finger at her brother and shook it slowly. "And you can't blame Daryl for it or get mad at him for giving me something that I asked for. I'm a big girl, damn it, and I can do what I want. And there's nothing you, or anyone else, can do about it."

"Carol, it's your turn." Michonne cut in after seeing Rick tense and his breathing quicken. Carol's drunken rant wasn't going to make things any better and she didn't want a fight between the two of them to erupt and ruin the weekend.

"Never have I ever..." She looked over at Daryl and giggled, then gave him a wink. "Had a one night stand." She found it clever since it was technically true, though that's all he was supposed to have been to her.

Rick, Merle, Shawn, Maggie and Daryl drank at that.

"Damn, Grimes." Merle chuckled. "You went out and played the field for a bit before getting your ass put on lockdown again? I didn't think you had it in you, but I gotta say, I'm impressed." He looked towards Michonne and then Carol. "And if you ladies are looking to change that, well, then I'd be happy to help out."

"Shut up, Merle." Rick groaned. "Shits not funny when you're talking about my girlfriend and sister like that all the time."

"Never said it was meant to be funny." He winked. "Now, go on, Darylina, you're turn."

Daryl was getting rather annoyed with all of Merle's flirtatious comments. Maybe he should expect them, after all, that's who his brother was. It's who always had been and always would be, but it didn't mean Daryl had to like them when they were directed at someone he cared about. Nor did he have to like the way Merle had been staring at Carol in the bikini earlier either. He was starting to wonder how he was going to make it through the next few days without blowing a fucking gasket. He gripped the rim of his beer bottle tightly as he thought about his next question. "Ain't never had a girlfriend before." He replied, his voice somber.

Carol let out an uneasy breath next to him. Even in her inebriated state, she could pick up on the hint of sadness in his tone and it pricked at her heart. She knew how bad he wanted her to make things "official" between the two of them and it hurt her to know it hurt him she hadn't done that yet.

All of the guys drank at that. Shawn had dated a few girls here and there back in high school, nothing serious, but enough to where they were considered his girlfriends, ever so briefly. Of course Rick and Glenn had girlfriends now, so that was no surprise they drank, but everyone did seem to give pause to Merle drinking. They assumed he was like Daryl and had only ever done the whole hook up scene.

"You had a girlfriend?" Maggie asked in surprise as she looked towards Merle.

"He did." Daryl answered for him. "When we were in high school. She was crazy about him. Name was Andrea. She was a good girl, hard headed as fuck, didn't take no shit, but she was good for him. Dumbass fucked up and cheated on her before he went off to the army."

Merle leveled his eyes on his little brother. "You think you're any damn better than me, boy? You think just because you got a woman you ain't gonna let some bitch who's trying to pop it to you let her have her way with you if she tries? You think you can stop yourself when some bitch is rubbing all up on your dick, all free and ready to give it away right then and there? Sucking on your neck, running her hands all over you and shit. Because you're a damn fool if you think you can. Any damn one of you that thinks that is." Merle huffed before storming off and letting the back door slam hard behind him.

"Daryl, maybe you should go after him." Carol said, softly. Rubbing his shoulder as a way to encourage him to do so. She didn't know Merle well, but the topic of that Andrea person was obviously still a sore subject for him. And though his words had been angry, she could hear regret in them, too.

Daryl tensed at her touch and pulled away. "Ain't going after his dumbass. Fuck him. Gonna run off like a damn titty baby and shit because I said something true. Fuck that, let him go cry about me calling him out." He shifted and straightened his shoulders before sucking in breath. "Let's keep playing. Glenn, you're up."

"Never have I ever had sex with more than one person." Glenn proudly announced, not a bit of shame in is admittance that Maggie was the only person he'd ever been with.

"At a time or overall." Shawn chuckled.

"At all." Glenn decided to up the ante a little. "But if it's more than one at a time you have to drink twice."

Everyone in the room drank, Daryl and Shawn both drinking twice. But Rick grew extremely silent. He blinked several times before leveling his eyes on his sister. "Wait a minute. I thought Ed was the only guy you ever slept with?"


	57. Chapter 57

The state of annoyance that Daryl had been feeling was suddenly replaced with one of hesitation and worry as he sat and waited for Carol to respond to Rick's question.

He hadn't thought too much about her drinking the Glenn's question, himself, and if he had he would have been sure to give her a subtle shake of the head, or a small tap, or just some type of indication that she probably shouldn't press the damn cup to her lips.

But he hadn't been thinking. He hadn't been paying attention. He hadn't been on his toes. And that's where he'd fucked up. And she had, too.

She was feeling good. He knew that much from how she'd busted into that fit of laugher and toppled forward only a few moments earlier. Sure, she wasn't piss drunk or anything, or he didn't think so anyway, though he didn't know what that looked like on her. But she wasn't her normal self either. She was lighter, gigglier, not as inhibited as she might normally be concerning certain topics.

Which was made obvious by the fact that she blatantly admitted to smoking right there in front of Rick and acted like a teenager telling her father he couldn't control what she did or didn't do when she explained to her brother that it was her right to smoke if she wanted to and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it.

And he'd known, right then and there, that she was buzzing pretty damn good and didn't have many cares in the world at the moment. And he should have made a mental note to pay more attention to the questions being asked for the both of them.

But he hadn't. Because he'd been preoccupied with the irritation Merle had sparked at him, and well, because he was buzzing a little himself. Just not in the giggly, care free type of way Carol had been. And that's probably because he'd been sticking to beer while she'd been sucking down those mixed drinks Maggie had been pouring up, which seemed to grow stronger by the damn batch from what he could smell.

But had been feeling it. No denying that. His body had felt warmer, his lips a bit tingly and his observational skills clearly not in full play.

And he'd be damned if Rick Grimes would be the type of mother fucker who'd suddenly start paying more attention when they drank. What kind up fucked up shit was that? Daryl couldn't count the subtle moments Rick had seemingly not paid attention to over the last months or so. But now, he was like inspector fucking gadget or something.

So, here he was, biting the inside of his cheek, as he waited for Carol to decide to go on a alcohol induced stupor with her brother about how she could sleep with whoever the fuck she wanted to and that Rick couldn't tell dictate that either. Because, well, it seemed fitting given the cigarette situation. And in his racing mind, he half expected her to do some crazy shit like kissing him in front of everyone, too, to make a damn point.

And maybe part of him hoped she would. Maybe part of him was hoping she'd kiss him and tell Rick it wasn't about just sex between them and that then she'd tell him, in front of everyone, that she wanted to be with him, offically. That she wanted to be his girlfriend.

And he'd be damned if these few seconds of silence hadn't felt like an eternity in his mind as he waited for her reaction. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, trying to determine if maybe she wanted him to take the lead with this. If maybe he should speak up, but she was nervously biting the bottom of her lip and he could swear that when she met his gaze he saw her give him the, ever so slightest, shake of her head to indicate she didn't want him to take the wheel. It was either that or he was feeling those beers way more than he thought. So, he didn't jump in. He resigned himself to let her take the lead. After all, it was her brother they would be throwing themselves to, not his. She knew him best.

()()()

Carol was panicking. She didn't know what to do. Her heart was fluttering inside her chest, and not in the good way Daryl made it do. No, this was more akin to what she assumed a mild panic attack might feel like. Why hadn't she thought before she'd taken that sip? Why had she let herself get so buzzed anyway knowing they were playing a game like this in the first place?

She suddenly felt a lot more sober than she had been, though she knew if she tried to jump up and run away like she wanted to that she'd probably trip right over Daryl and face plant into the floor. Or worse for this situation, into his crotch.

This was not the time to tell Rick about her and Daryl. Not at all. Rick was buzzing, too. And decidedly more aware than usual. In her state, if she tried to cook up some sort of lie she probably wouldn't be able to repeat it more than once or make it believable. And if his observation skills to her sipping drinks extended beyond that tonight, well, she'd be fucked. Besides, she had decided she didn't wanna lie to him again anyway. So that was out the window.

But telling him the truth didn't seem like an option either. She'd caught how aggravated Daryl had been with Merle. How he'd recoiled from her touch when she suggested checking on his brother when she saw how Daryl's comment had seemed to cut Merle. And to be honest, she felt that to be a little unsettling. He'd never pulled away from her before. But, she hadn't ever really seen him angry before either. A little annoyed, maybe not in the best mood, but not as pissy as he'd been with his brother.

All she could think about was Rick getting pissed and lashing out and that if Daryl was already on edge that he might not back down as easily to anything Rick might say or do at the moment. And she didn't want to see them come to blows.

()()()

"Carol?" Rick said, a little more authoritatively, when she didn't answer him and avoided his gaze. When she heard his voice again he noticed that she flicked her eyes up to meet his he let his voice grow softer. "I thought Ed was the only guy you ever slept with."

She sucked in two deep breaths and closed her eyes. "He was…" That was the only thing she could muster up at the moment. She didn't really have a plan, other than hoping he wouldn't press her on who it was and when after she admitted Ed wasn't the only one.

Rick look at his sister confused, and albeit, a little concerned. "What? "Who? When? Someone from New York?"

Carol bit down hard on her lip again. She looked over at Daryl, almost apologetically, then turned her attention back to her brother. "Rick…..the guy was…..I...it happened…." She paused, knowing she was fumbling with her words and needed another chance to try and put together what she wanted to say. She took another breath and swallowed hard. There was tightness in her chest and she wasn't sure she was going to be able to do this in front of everyone.

()()()

Just then, the door that led from the deck to the kitchen burst open, causing a loud thud as it connected with the wall. The loud thud was accompanied by an angry Merle right behind it, bottle of liquor in hand as he darted towards his younger brother with his finger flailing in the air. Everyone's eyes, including Rick's, turned from Carol to Merle.

"Let me tell you something else you little son of a bit…" He began, as he barreled through the house, but was suddenly cut short when he stumbled and started falling face forward.

Between Merle's enraged state and all of the alcohol he'd consumed he must have forget the small step that bridged the gap between the kitchen and the living room, causing his feet to sail out from under him and his face to head on an apparent on a collision course with the lamp stand. Gasps filled the room and Daryl leapt to his feet on instinct.

Luckily, Merle's face missed connecting with the night stand by mere centimeters, instead, connecting hard with the still not so soft wood floor in the living room. The bottle he'd had in his hand went flying towards the circled group, almost hitting Glenn in the knee.

Despite being annoyed with Merle, Daryl didn't hesitate to jump up and check on him after seeing him fall. He knelt down next to his brother, who hadn't moved from his place on the floor. He placed a hand on Merle's shoulder and gently shook him. "Merle? You alright?" When he didn't respond at first Daryl shook him a little harder. "Hey, you alright?"

Merle groaned loudly and picked his head up slightly and blinked at Daryl several times. He could feel blood trickling down his lip and his head was already pounding some. Though it would probably hurt a lot more if he didn't have alcohol in his system to numb the pain. "That hurt like mother fucker." He slurred

Daryl grabbed Merle by the arm in an attempt to help lift him up. "Your lip's bleeding." He noted as he watched blood droplets slowly trickle to the floor. "Let's get your ass cleaned up."

Merle snatched his arm out from under Daryl's. "Don't…need….your….fucking…help." He slurred out again, but as soon as his brother wasn't supporting him he fell on the floor again.

"He finished the rest of this by himself." Glenn announced, holding up the empty bottle of liquor that had previously been in Merle's hands.

Carol tried to stand up so she could try and go help Daryl with Merle. When she uncrossed her legs from where she'd been sitting, Indian style, on the floor and pushed herself up she began to sway from side to side as she tried to stand. She felt dizzy and wobbly on her feet. She leaned a little too far to one side and when she felt a hand lock around her forearm she turned to see her brother on his feet, holding her steady. She gave him small nod. "Thank you."

"Sit." He told her, as he nodded towards the couch.

She shook her head at him and looked towards Daryl, who was trying to pull Merle up once again. "I wanna help Daryl." She protested.

Glenn and Shawn had stood up and headed over to help Daryl once they saw how much resistance his brother was giving him. Maggie stood up, as well, walking over towards the kitchen and grabbing a wet napkin for his lip.

"Glenn and Shawn have it handled." Rick assured her. "Now sit down before you fall on your face, too."

()()()

Maggie brought over the wet napkin and cleaned Merle's chin off then pressed the cold rag to his lip to try and stop the bleeding. She'd been holding it there for him while the three men held him steady until he'd made some comment about her being his naughty nurse and giving him a sponge bath. She'd shoved it in his hand after that and made him hold it himself until the bleeding stopped.

"You know?" Merle turned and scowled at Daryl as he and Shawn were dragging him towards the couch. "I'd kick you in the damn nuts if my face didn't hurt so fucking bad right now."

"If I wasn't a decent brother I'd drop your ass right now and let you fall on your face again." Daryl muttered. As they neared the couch and he noticed Carol sitting on one end he was sure to place Merle over on the opposite side. He thanked Shawn for the help as he took a seat between Carol and his brother.

"Are you alright, Merle?" Carol asked softly as she leaned up and peered over at him. Sure, he was annoying, but she'd been genuinely worried about him when he fell. And she had to admit, he had impeccable timing to come stumbling inside like that. She almost felt a sense of gratitude towards him for causing that conversation with Rick to be placed on hold

"Merle grinned at her, his eyes almost squinted shut. "I'm good, baby. Real, real good. But you can always make me better."

She grinned back at him and shook her head at that. "Think I'll pass. Not enough alcohol in the world for me to agree to that."

Merle let out an amused hum at her words. "Never say never." He leaned over his brother without warning and gave her a wink. He lowered his voice to where it was barely above whisper as he looked up at her. "There's a reason I'm the big brother. Whatever he's working with, remember I got at least 3 on him." And the moment he was done talking, he grinned again before collapsing into Daryl's lap.

She grimaced and looked up at Daryl with worry in her eyes. "He probably shouldn't go to sleep. He hit his head."

"He'll be fine." Daryl chuckled. "He's got a hard fucking head, trust me."

She didn't return his laugh. "I'm serious, Daryl. Just in case, you shouldn't let him fall asleep. Keep an eye on him a while."

He tugged at his bottom lip and nodded in defeat. "I'll wake him up in a sec. Keep my eye on him tonight. Each end of the couch lets out into a recliner. I'll sleep in here with him."

"I'll grab you two some pillows and blankets. She went to stand up, but she felt him catch her arm in his. "You good to be walking around? Saw you almost bust your ass when you tried to get up and help me with him."

"Yeah, I'm good. It just hit me hard when I stood up."

"Alright." He let go of her arm and he watched her as she stood to walk to the kitchen and ask Maggie where spare pillows and blankets were. When he felt confident she was steady enough she wasn't going to fall he returned his gaze to his brother, who still had his head his lip. He grabbed him by the shoulders and gave him a hard, shake. "Quit trying to suck my dick and wake up, asshole."

()()()

Carol took Merle and Daryl the blankets and pillows and like she'd said she was going to. The blankets were old and scratchy and she doubted they'd be very comfortable, but at least they'd be warm.

After all of the excitement wore off, Glenn and Maggie decided to retreat to their room for the night. Daryl hadn't really moved from his position on the couch next to Merle. Keeping the man awake by getting him to talk about various conquests Merle had encountered over the years. She heard some very disturbing things that placed images in her mind she wasn't sure she'd ever be able to get out.

She was sitting at the table in the kitchen with her brother, Michonne, and Shawn when they started bringing up sleeping arrangements for the night.

"You two can sleep on one of the bottom bunks." Shawn told Rick and Michonne. "It's a futon, so it folds out and should give you plenty of room. Worked for Maggie and Glenn last weekend."

Rick nodded. His eyelids were heavy with sleep and he doubted he'd be up much longer.

"I don't know if it would be a good idea for me or Carol to crawl up on the top bunk after drinking so much." Shawn paused hesitantly before giving her a cautious glance. "We could share the other bottom bunk, if you didn't mind."

She swore she could hear Daryl's head whipping around as soon as the suggestion left Shawn's mouth. And though she had her back turned to him, she could almost feel his eyes burning into her from how hard she was sure he was staring at her right then. "That's okay, Shawn, you can have the bottom if you want. I'll manage climbing up to the top. I feel a lot more sober now."

Rick groaned and ran a hand over his face. "I hate to say it, but you were really off balance earlier. It might not be a good idea for you to sleep that high up. What if you wake up and have to pee?" He knew she'd turned Shawn down once and didn't think he had much to worry about with her in the bed with the guy. Besides, he and Michonne were gonna be in the room, too. He doubted Shawn would dare to even try anything with him in there.

"She can sleep here, then." Daryl butted in from his space in the living room. "She can have my spot and I'll sleep on the floor."

"You want my sister to sleep next to Merle?" Rick laughed, though, there was no real amusement in his tone.

"He's got a point there, little brother." Merle chuckled. "You really want that sweet little thing sleeping this close to ole Merle?"

"I'll have every last one of you know," She emphasized her words and let her eyes linger on Daryl's for a moment longer than she did the others, "I'm an adult and I'll sleep where I damn well please. I'm not sleeping next to Merle, I'm not sleeping next to Shawn. I wanna sleep by myself and that's what I'm gonna do."

Daryl stood up slowly. "I'll put the mattress on the floor in the bedroom for you, that way you won't fall. Just in case."

()()()

Daryl moved the mattress for her, placing it beside her brother's bed and away from Shawn's. He didn't like him asking her to sleep in the bed with him. Not one bit. He'd be willing to bet his left nut the fucker would've gotten handsy at some point during the night. If Shawn was anything like him, alcohol made the guy horny. And he was sure that was what motivated his invitation in the first damn place.

When he came back from moving the mattress Carol asked him for a smoke right in front of Rick, and he honestly wanted nothing more than to lie to her and tell her he left them at home with the way Rick was glaring at him. But he didn't wanna start a habit of lying to her when it came to anything, so he reluctantly reached into his pocket and handed her one and his lighter.

She asked him if he wanted to smoke with her, and while he desperately wanted one, he decided to get back and keep an eye Merle who was trying to nod off again.

Of course he ended up babysitting him in some way already. He thought to himself. Though he did feel like he provoked the incident some by bringing up Andrea in the first place.

()()()

Carol was sitting out on the deck alone enjoying her cigarette. She was looking out towards the lake and smiling to herself as she noticed fireflies flickering here and there. When she turned and heard a door creak open she noticed her brother coming out on the deck to join her.

"Can I sit with you?" He asked, nodding to the empty space in the gliding chair she was seated in.

Carol nodded back at him and took a drag off her cigarette.

"It's weird." He motioned. "Seeing you smoke like that."

She exhaled and gave him a sympathetic look. "I don't do it all the time. Maybe three or four a day, if that. I just, I started after I met Ed, and it's kinda a hard habit to break. I never buy my own, though. Not since moving here. I always bum them off of Daryl." She paused and grinned to herself. "He didn't really wanna give me one at first. He was worried you'd get mad at him."

Rick hummed at that, but didn't say anything. Silence settled between them. Nothing but frogs croaking could be heard out by the lake. Finally, Rick brought up what he'd come out for in the first place. "Earlier when we were playing that drinking game….did you really mean to drink then? I mean, you really slept with someone after Ed?"

She took a long drag before responding and sighed it all the way out. "I have." She admitted quietly. "But it's been a really long night and I really, really don't wanna get into this with you right now. I'll tell you about it." She took shaky breath. "'About him. But just, not tonight. Not while we're here."

Rick reluctantly nodded his agreeance on the matter. "You don't…have to tell me who it was….Or when it happened…or any details…I just…I need to know that you weren't taken advantage of. That someone didn't hurt you worse than you were already hurting. That you didn't wake up the next day and feel worse than you already did."

She stubbed the cigarette out and then grabbed her brother's hands in hers, giving them a small squeeze as she leveled her eyes on his. Blue meeting blue. "I haven't regretted anything about being with him. Not for one second. Ed cheating on me made me doubt everything about myself. How attractive I was, my abilities as a woman, my self-worth. But this guy…Rick….being with him…I." She stammered. "Because of him, I feel sexy and wanted and beautiful. And I feel all of these things I never knew I'd be able to feel again. It wasn't this situation where some guy came on to me and I just let him jump me like an animal. Hell, I initiated it. And I did it because I wanted it. Because I somehow knew, deep down, I wouldn't regret the next day. Or ever, for that matter. I wasn't pressured. I wasn't coerced. I mean, I knew he wanted me, but you know? I wanted him, too. Just as bad."

 **I know that might not be the chapter some of you wanted but I'm building towards it, I promise. Thanks for reading and reviewing and for sticking this out for so long. I know it's not easy waiting on an outcome. Especially not one that I sometimes tease and don't deliver on after.**


	58. Chapter 58

(I had to write this on my phone because my laptop decided to screw up today, which is the last thing I need right now, but that's life. What can you do? So basically, excuse me if there are more mistakes and typos than usual. And if it's longer or shorter than normal. Can't really keep up with word count on the phone either.)

Early the next morning, as Daryl began to stir awake he could feel a dull, aching pain in his lower back, likely due to sleeping in that reclining position all night on the old, tattered couch.

He blinked his eyes several times as he forced himself to enter into full consciousness. He let out a groan as he shifted onto his other side. When he surveyed the spot next to him he found that his brother was no longer there. A messy pile of pillows and blankets were on the floor next to where he'd slept.

Daryl peered into the kitchen, but didn't see any sign of Merle there. Or anyone else for that matter. All of the other house guests were likely still holed up in the bedrooms asleep.

Judging by the amount of sunlight breaking its way into the room, Daryl was guessing it was a little after six. He'd always had a fairly accurate internal clock, and when he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, he proved himself right. It was currently 6:32 a.m.

He rubbed his eyes and tossed his blanket off of him, reaching out and pulling the lever on the side of the couch to return it to its normal state. Something Merle hadn't bothered with when he woke up.

He stretched one good time after standing up, not really feeling any effects from the alcohol he'd consumed the night before. A little bloated from the beer. An enormous urge to piss. But no headache or queasiness so far.

He made his way to the kitchen, peeking out of the door that led to the deck as he did so. He was looking for Merle, assuming he was more than likely outside taking a smoke. His brother wasn't seated in the gliding chair or any of the old, plastic chairs that were scattered out and about, but in the distance, Daryl could see Merle sitting out on the dock. His feet were dangling over the water and it looked like he had a fishing pole in hand.

Daryl turned the door knob and headed in Merle's direction. He jogged down the steps, taking a brief detour under the deck to relieve himself before making his way towards the dock.

He was barefoot and the grass was still wet with dew. He could see fog rising from the lake as the sun was peeping over the horizon, and it made him think back to last weekend when he'd camped out by Hershel's pond with Carol.

He wished she was awake with him right now, and that she could sit out on the dock with him, her legs wrapped securely around his waist, her head resting on his shoulder blade, teasingly kissing his neck from time to time, while he would be casting a line himself.

But that wasn't going to happen this weekend, and he knew it. He doubted he'd get to do so much as brush his hand against hers the next two days with all of these people around. Maybe not for even longer than that with Merle in the house. Hell, with her being gone next weekend, he might not get a chance to touch her again for over a week. And that thought was almost maddening to him.

He huffed in frustration at his thoughts as he approached where Merle was sitting, and that must have gained his older brother's attention, because he jerked his head back to look at him then. Though, he was surprised the creaking boards on the dock hadn't done so before then.

"The fuck you doing out here, Darylina?"

Daryl went and sat down beside his brother, kicking his legs back and forth over the open water. "Just woke up. Saw you was gone. Everyone else is still asleep."

"Bunch of lazy fucks if you ask me. All your friends. Sleeping in past the crack of dawn." Merle he reeled in his line and went to recast it.

Daryl grimaced when he got a good look at Merle's lower lip. It was swollen and puffy and he knew it had to hurt like a bitch. "You ah, you feeling alright today? He motioned his hand over his face. "From that fall you took and all?"

"You seriously asking me that?" He scoffed. "You and I both know I've took way worse than that in my life. Damn boy, you done got soft if you think I'm gonna wake up crying about all that."

Daryl hummed and shook his head. He glanced down at his reflection in the water, and suddenly felt like a huge dick for bringing up Andrea last night. He cleared his throat as he looked back up at Merle. "I uh, I'm sorry about what I said. Bout you and Andrea. Shouldn't of brought it up."

Merle waved him off. "Don't fucking matter. What's done is done. I don't wanna talk about that shit. So, just drop it. Okay?"

Daryl just nodded and let silence fall between them. Nothing but the sound of birds signing and crickets in the cage next to Merle chirping filled the air. "I don't see how you do it." Daryl finally said, breaking the silence.

"Do what?" Merle barked defensively

"Drink so damn much and wake up feeling like a spring fucking chicken." Daryl laughed. "I'd be puking my guts out right now if I chugged that bottle like you did."

"Lots and lots of practice, little bother." He muttered. "Do this damn near every night. Been doing it damn near every night since I was thirteen."

"Reckon that's why." Daryl simply agreed. Merle was right, he'd been living that life for more than ten years. It was his routine. There wasn't a wonder that his body could tolerate it. It was accustomed to it by now. The women. The booze. The occasional recreational drug use.

Merle smiled widely as he reeled in a fish. He pulled it from the line and tossed it into a bucket, then threw his line out again. He turned to Daryl after he did with a stern look on his face. "You know?" Merle stated sharply. "You kinda been a little shit since I got here. Acting like you don't want me around. Like I'm some type of burden to you. Why is that I wonder?"

Daryl sighed and ran a hand over his face. He felt a tinge of guilt at the way he had acted since Merle had been here. Any other time his brother had come to visit he'd been ecstatic, ready to run the bars and party with him. But things were different for him now and the timing of him showing up couldn't have been worse. "You just came at bad time. That's all. Ain't that I don't want you here or don't wanna see you. And to be fair." He added. You didn't tell me you were coming."

"Thought it'd be a nice surprise having your only brother pop into town for your birthday. Figured we could go out, get some some pussy, get fucked up, have us a good ole time." Merle shook his head, glancing out at his lure that was lightly bobbing in the water. "Didn't count on Rick's sister being here and you having your head up her ass, though."

Daryl stiffened at that and suddenly felt defensive. "I ain't got my head up her ass. Ain't got my head up no one's ass."

"Yeah. Okay." He scoffed. "That what you telling Rick while you're steady smashing her so he don't suspect a thing? Or is that what you're telling yourself while your jerking off with your tears to her, wishing you were doing the real thing? Because I tell you what, I might not have this whole thing with the two of you figured out yet, but I'm smart enough to know something's going on."

Daryl didn't respond to that. Lying to Merle wasn't like lying to Rick. Merle was practically the king of lies himself. And he was observant, too. He'd see through anything Daryl tried to spit out. Silence would work better with Merle. It irked him and threw him off his game. He'd get annoyed and forget what he was trying to get out of you in the first place.

"You ain't gonna say nothing, baby boy? Cat got your tongue? That it?" He cackled. "That's alright. Don't. I don't want you too. I'm having a good time trying to figure it out on my own, actually. I like watching you squirm when I look at that nice little body of hers. When I say things about her, things you and I both know I'd do if given the chance."

Shit. He hadn't thought about Merle picking up on him any subtle differences in his personality when it came to her. He hadn't thought that anything would different would be that noticeable to tell the truth. He sat there, rigidly, still not uttering a single word.

"And you know? Shawn, well, he'd do the same." Merle continued, with a sly smirk on his face. Yep, I saw him looking at her in that tight little bikini she was in last night. Then the way he he asked her to sleep in the bed with him." Merle brought his hand up and made a slapping motion while thrusting his hips forward. "You just know he wanted to tear shit up. And who knows, maybe he slipped in bed with her after everyone went to sleep. Maybe he ran his hand up those tiny little shorts she had on, maybe he started stroking..."

Daryl clenched his fists painfully, his pulse was pounding in his ears from the rage that those mental images were provoking in his mind. "Merle!" He snapped. "Shut the fuck up. Okay? Just shut the fuck up before I drown your ass in this lake.

Merle didn't laugh this time. He just shook his head at the younger Dixon. "You dumb, pitiful, foolish bastard."

()()()

Everyone else eventually started waking up as well. First Maggie and Glenn, then Rick and Michonne, then Shawn, and lastly, Carol.

When Carol woke up, she felt a little nauseous and her head was pounding. She regretted having so many of those blue drinks Maggie kept making last night.

She was mortified she'd confessed smoking cigarettes to Rick, though she'd been surprised he had taken the news so well. No fighting. No harsh words. Just a look of disappointment etched in his features. But she could live with that look as long as it meant they weren't tearing into one another.

She was even more mortified she'd had to confess that she'd slept with someone besides Ed to him now that she was awake. Though he seemed to take that news surprisingly well, too. Their was worry is his eyes, a look that let her know if the guy had caused her any type of pain whatsoever that he was ready to hunt him down, but he'd been remarkably calm about her admission. Not once blowing up at her or pushing her to tell him more than she wanted to last night. He seemed resigned to the fact that they'd discuss the matter more in private.

And that, in itself, had been shocking to a degree. But then again, the more she thought about it, she did remember her brother was the kind of person who was usually more relaxed after a few drinks. Not as tightly wound. Maybe she should have just confessed all of her sins to him last night.

But she hadn't. Instead, she'd prolonged the inevitable once more.

She supposed she might break down and confess the who part of the equation at her parents house this weekend. Maybe warm him up with a six pack of beer and pour her heart out to him.

Then, even if he was furious, at least he'd have a few days to cool down before they were all three together again.

She was currently sitting in the kitchen mulling all of this over in her mind. Everyone else was chowing down on cereal and chattering about, as she sat at the table with her head planted in her hands to keep the light away to try and appease her headache when she heard the clinking of glass being placed on the table in front of her.

When she looked up she was surprised to see that Merle was the one who had set it there. She arched her brows at him suspiciously.

"Drink up." He nodded to her. "It'll make you feel better."

She blinked at him a few times before turning and giving Daryl a questioning look. He just shrugged at her and she looked back to Merle. "What is it?" She cautiously inquired. Whatever it was was a horrid green color and it smelled like a mix between chicken and berries.

"You don't even wanna know, darling." He laughed. "But it'll make you not feel like shit and you won't wanna sit on the couch all damn day." He motioned to the cup. "Now drink up."

()()()

She'd reluctantly done as Merle had said, drinking down every last drop of the disgusting looking substance. It tasted about as good as it looked, and she gagged a few times as she chugged it. But she had to admit, it had her feeling better in no time.

They were all heading out to the dock now. The guys were gonna do some fishing while the girls enjoyed some sun. There was talk of going out on the boat later and doing some tubing, maybe riding over to the volleyball courts, but nothing had been set in stone yet.

She was walking beside Daryl and she tapped him on the shoulder. "Any idea what your brother put in that drink earlier?"

"Not a damn clue." Daryl muttered. "Looks like it worked, though. You look like you're feeling a lot better."

"You trying to say I looked like shit earlier?" She teased, nudging him with her shoulder.

"Maybe not shit." He replied with a devilish grin." But you could've passed for some road kill I've seen."

()()()

She placed her towel down on the dock beside Maggie's and started applying sunscreen to protect her pale skin from burning. She'd lathered up the front of her body, even taken care of her arms and legs, but she was stuck when it came to her back. There was no way she could reach it.

She held up the bottle. "Can one of you do my back? I'll get redder than a tomato and won't be able to move for days if don't lather up really good."

She'd been expecting Maggie or Michonne to offer, what she hadn't been expecting, however, was for Shawn to be walking by at the time and to grab the bottle from her hands.

"I got you." He offered, squirting some of the lotion in one of his hands, brushing her hair out of the way with the other, and not hesitating to start massaging it into her shoulder blades and back.

Maggie and Michonne cut their eyes at her simultaneously, waiting for her reaction.

She took a chance and peered out towards the end of the dock where Daryl was standing beside Merle. He was scowling at Shawn, deeply. Wearing the same look in his eyes that the dogs at work wear when you can tell they're thinking about biting or lunging at you.

She knew, realistically that Daryl had nothing to worry about when it came to Shawn. She wasn't interested in him. She didn't want anyone else. And truthfully, she didn't think Shawn meant anything by it.

But, she also knew how she'd feel if she was having to watch an attractive female lather Daryl up, and she'd be about as happy as cat dipped in a bath tub watching that. So, she understood why he was upset by the scene. She wished she could give him a valid reason for not wanting him rubbing all over her body without garnering suspicion.

()()()

Meanwhile, Rick was standing beside Glenn watching the science unfold himself. He started scratching his beard as he studied the situation in front of him. Finally he shook his head and sighed. "I can't believe I didn't figure this out before."

"Figure what out?" Glenn replied curiously.

"Last night, when we were playing that game, Carol said she slept with someone after Ed."

Glenn felt his body tense. "Yeah." He hesitantly stated.

"Well, we talked on the porch after. She didn't tell me who it was or anything, but I got the sense from how she was talking that it was someone kinda close to her. Someone she was comfortable with. It kinda seemed to me like she might have feelings for this guy even."

Glenn kept his voice cautious, though inside he was about to explode. "So you, uh, you know who it is and you're okay with it?"

He sighed again and ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know. I mean, I don't like the idea of it one bit. He could've been using her, it's something he'd do. And if he was and he hurts her.." Rick clenched his fist, but didn't finish his sentence. "But I saw the way he was looking at her last night. Checking her out when he thought no one was looking. And look now." He pointed. "Shawn's putting that sun screen all over and she's standing there all awkwardly, like she doesn't want anyone to figure out her secret, but look at how he's looking at her...Just smiling like that while he rubs the lotion on her. I think he might really like her back."

Glenn's jaw dropped and he had to stop himself from screaming at the top of his lungs and alerting everyone. "Wait! What? You think those two?" He motioned to Carol and Shawn. "You think they...that they slept together."

"Well, yeah." Rick shrugged. "I mean, it's pretty obvious isn't it? Just look at them right now. And besides, who else could it be? The only other guy I know for sure she's been alone with is Daryl."


	59. Chapter 59

**Well, that's how the story ends. Rick thinks she's screwing Shawn and they forever hide their relationship. She even pops out a couple of kids down the road and Rick just assumes they belong to Shawn, never acting the wiser. Hope that's the ending you guys wanted.**

 **Lol. I'm totally kidding. I'd never do that.**

 **Sorry for the delay. It won't take as long for my next update. My laptop unexpectedly broke and I had to wait until payday to get another one. Thanks to everyone reading and those of you taking time to drop reviews.**

Glenn winced. He didn't feel like it was his job to out Daryl and Carol's secret, but he didn't wanna let Shawn get thrown under the bus for something he hadn't done either. How in the hell could Rick not know what was really going on? He lived with them for crying out loud. Glenn had picked up on the fact that they wanted to screw around without Maggie even having to tell him. And now, he really wished she hadn't confirmed what he thought that way he wouldn't be in this predicament. He didn't like secrets, and he wasn't good at keeping them. "Rick, man, I really don't think.."

"You know?" Rick interrupted, completely ignoring what Glenn was trying to say. "I bet it happened that night that Daryl and I went downtown. When she went out drinking with Maggie and Tara. I know Shawn walked her home that night because she wasn't ready to go when Maggie was."

Glenn put his hands up. "Rick, seriously, I really don't think that Shawn.."

"I mean…I don't really see another time that it could have happened. Unless it was that night he took her out on a date…but she said he just kissed her then and that it didn't even feel right." He paused and scratched his chin. "What do you think made her change her mind about that?"

Damn it. He'd forgotten how hard headed Rick was when he had his mind made up about something. It's like he couldn't hear anything else anyone was trying to tell him.

"Hey." Maggie said, as she walked up to the guys. "Do y'all wanna go ahead and take the boat out? I was talking to Carol and Michonne and it's really too hot for us to be laying out right now."

"Yes!" Glenn exclaimed. "That's a great idea. Let's all get on the boat. Come on, Rick. Let's go." He was relieved that Maggie walked up and that this conversation with Rick was going to be over with. Without screaming to the top of his lungs that Carol was screwing Daryl and not Shawn, he wasn't sure how to convince Rick that nothing had ever happened between the two.

()()()

The group all made their way onto the boat and ventured out into the water with Shawn behind the wheel. They took along a towable tube and were all taking turns being pulled behind the boat. Michonne and Rick were up first, followed by Maggie and Glenn. It wasn't technically a two seater tube, but it was large enough two people could fit snugly in it together.

Shawn stopped the boat so Maggie and Glenn could climb back in after being thrown off the tube. Once they were back on board he glanced around the boat. "Who wants to go next? It's big enough for more than one person at a time." He looked over to Carol who was sitting by Michonne. "'You wanna ride? someone could ride with y…"

"I'll ride with her." Daryl interrupted in a half growl, stepping away from the side of the boat he'd been sitting on with Merle and walking over to Carol, extending his hand to hers." He'd be damned if Shawn was gonna try and volunteer to let her sit all up in his lap on that damn tube. Volunteering to share a bed with her last night and rubbing sun screen on her had Daryl riled up enough. He'd flip a script right in front of everyone if Shawn tried pulling her into his lap on top of all that. He was starting to think Merle had been right about what he said. Shawn was trying to get with her this weekend.

Rick was standing by Michonne while he watched the scene unfold. He cast a curious glance from Shawn, to Daryl, then to Carol. He popped open a beer as he continued to stare out in front of him. He watched as Carol placed her hand in Daryl's, stood up, and the two made their way to the edge of the boat and towards the inner tube. Daryl kept peeping over his shoulder and scowling in Shawn's direction. A perplexed look washed over Rick's face. "Does…does Daryl seem kinda jealous to you?"

Michonne smirked, her eyes flicked upwards, and then she looked back over at her boyfriend. "Is the sky blue?"

()()()

The group stayed out on the boat a long time. They spent a fair amount of time taking turns on the inner tube. Then they rode out to the beach area next to Tyrese's restaurant where they stopped to play on the Volleyball court. They played a few matches. The first teams were Michonne, Maggie, Carol, and Daryl versus Rick, Glenn, Shawn, and Merle. Greene clinic against the others as they'd called it. And it had been an aggressive match, because Merle was a competitive son of a bitch and refused to lose to his little brother. Alternatively, Carol and Rick and Shawn and Maggie had some major sibling rivalry going on in that match. There were many skinned knees and poor Glenn trampled several times by his own teammates who'd been hell bent on getting the ball over.

In the end, the Greene Clinic team members won the game. Merle was a bit too aggressive on his spikes and often sent the ball out of bounds, and it turns out, Michonne had actually played Volleyball back in high school giving her team a slight advantage.

The next round was "the couples" Rick and Michonne and Glenn and Maggie against the "singles." And that game ended in disaster for the "single" team. Merle and Daryl had been on the back row with Shawn and Carol taking care of the front. Merle had spent almost the entire game staring at Carol's ass and smuggle grinning at Daryl. He'd even "accidentally" touched her boobs and ass a few times in, what he had said, was an attempt to get the ball. In return, Daryl had "accidently" tripped Merle and made him face plant into the sand a couple of times. The last time Daryl tripped him, Merle ended up biting the same spot on his lip he busted the night before and the two ended up tussling on the ground, having to be pulled apart by Rick and Shawn.

Merle had spit blood on the ground after they were pulled apart and shot his younger brother a hard look muttering, "you're gonna be sorry, you little shit."

()()()

They stayed on the boat until late evening, eventually setting out some jugs they'd go collect early the next morning. The guys wanted to do a fish fry tomorrow before they all left to go home and they hadn't been catching enough off of the dock to feed everyone.

When they finally got back to the house the guys were left in charge to cook again and the girls stayed outside hanging around the dock. Merle and Shawn refused to cook since they'd done all of the grilling the night before and eventually headed down to the dock themselves as.

Daryl, Glenn and Rick stayed up by the dock where they grilled chicken, baked potatoes, and onions.

Carol was sitting at the end of the dock beside Michonne talking when her phone began to ring. She apologized as she pulled her phone out to see who was calling. The familiar New York area code made her stomach curl in knots. The smile on her face faded. The number itself wasn't recognizable, but the area code itself was more than enough to let her know who likely on the other end.

"Everything alright?" Michonne asked, noticing the shift in Carol's demeanor.

"Yeah. I just, uh, I need to take this really quick. I'll be right back." She stood up and made her way from the dock towards the tree line beside the next property, away from ear shot of the others.

When Ed had called her back on Easter and Daryl answered, she hadn't bothered to call him back. She'd still been hurt and angry and didn't have anything to say to him. And she didn't much care for whatever he had to say to her. She blocked his cell and his work number, and the numbers of any of his friends that she had in her phone. And she hadn't thought much about it since then. But now, time had passed and she was moving on, really moving on, and she didn't carry the same anger towards him she once had. Of course, there was still hurt on her end from being cheated on and lied to, but she couldn't let herself feel the same anger she'd originally been feeling towards him.

If he hadn't of done what he did, she wouldn't be back in her home state right now. She wouldn't have found this job that she had that she loved so much, she and Rick wouldn't have been able to re-establish their brother/sister bond, she wouldn't be living close to her family, she wouldn't be applying back to college, she wouldn't have made all of these new friends, and she wouldn't have met Daryl. Her life had gotten better. It had become her own life again, and not just the extension of Ed's. Working in his families accounting firm. Spending most Holiday's with his family. Spending her time with his friends.

And when she saw him calling tonight, she felt like she needed to let him know that. To let him know she was happy. That she wasn't sitting around and grieving over their relationship or being hurt. She wanted to let him know that she was okay, hell better than okay. And to tell him that he didn't need to call her again, because there wasn't really anything left for them to talk about.

So, when she answered her call, she tried to steady her voice as she prepared to hear his own. Expecting it to illicit some deep seated emotional response in her. That the hurt she felt over the situation to re-bubble to the surface and memories of four years of her life to flood her mind.

"Hello." She got that part out just fine, sounding as normal as it would if anyone else had been on the other end of the line.

"Carol?" Came the voice on the other end. "That you?"

And it was undeniably Ed. She wouldn't miss his voice anywhere. But surprisingly, that tinge of sorrow she was expecting to feel didn't come. "It's me." She replied.

"Hmm. Half way expected some random guy to answer your phone. That's what happened last time I called and someone actually answered instead of a damn automated voice systemtelling me my call couldn't go through." He coldly told her.

"Who answers my phone isn't really any of your damn business anymore is it Ed?" She hissed through clenched teeth.

"Look, I just didn't think you were that damn easy, Carol, that's all. I mean shit, how well could you have known whoever the hell that guy was, you'd barely been gone over a week then."

"I'm easy? Coming from the guy who was in a committed relationship and was fucking his secretary?" She felt her blood start to boil and was re-thinking answering his call at all. She started rubbing her temples. "You know what? Goodbye Ed, I don't have to listen to this. Don't call me again."

"Wait!" He cried out. "Just talk to me for a minute. Please? I'm not trying to argue with you."

"Then what do you want? Huh? Why'd you call on Easter and why are you calling now?"

"Because I wanted to check on you. I know you never go home for the Holiday's. I figured you were spending them alone since your brother always goes back home. I wanted to make sure you were okay. And I know mother's day's coming up. I just….I was worried about you. That's all."

She laughed at the irony in all of that. How worried about her was he when he was cheating on her. How worried about her was he when they were actually together and she wasn't with her family during the holidays? "As funny as I find that statement to be, I'll humor you. I'm fine, Ed. I have been for a while now. You know? I thought my world came crashing down when I found out about you cheating, but it turns out it didn't. I've got a job I really care about, I've made wonderful friends, my brother and I have bonded as we've both gone through the same thing together, and I'm evening going home to see my parents this weekend. My world didn't end because our relationship ended, I think it just gave me a chance to start over and make it a better one for me. I was angry at you at first, angry at Victoria, I hated you both. But now, in a strange way, I don't know, I'm almost kinda thankful if that makes any sense at all."

There was silence on the other end of the line for a long time. "Well, I'm ah, I'm glad you're happy." The sound of Ed's throat clearing filled the line. "I really didn't ever mean to hurt you. I didn't mean to get Victoria pregnant."

"Maybe not." She sighed. "But in the end it hurt all the same and what's done it done." She started pacing in circles, twirling a long, auburn curl in her finger as she walked. "I, uh, I met someone. The guy that answered my phone on Easter. He's my roommate, Rick's best friend. And at first, because of what happened with us, I almost didn't let myself go there with him. I didn't wanna trust him. I didn't wanna let him in. I was just gonne sleep with him, make myself feel better…I didn't think I'd ever be able to let myself love someone again after what happened with us." Her voice cracked with her last sentence, feeling the impact of actually saying she loved Daryl out lout.

More silence filled the line followed by an angered tone. "Are you just saying that shit to get back at me? To hurt me? You know I still love you. I told you that before you left. I told you I wanted to work it out."

"No, Ed, I'm not. Believe it or not, I'm not that vindictive and I really don't care that much. And you shouldn't be hurt because I moved on and found someone else. You made your choice. You're about to have a family with this woman. A son or daughter. Focus on them. Focus on that. We're over. We've been over. If I'm being honest, we both know we were really over before all of this. You weren't happy and neither was I. But I'm happy now, really, truly happy. And I hope you can be, too. So, please, don't call me again. You said you needed to know I was okay, well now you know. Goodbye, Ed. For real this time." And with that, she hung up her phone. Hoping like hell he got the message and didn't try and call her back.

Her hands felt shaky and she had to take a deep breath after all she'd just said. It was a whirlwind of emotion to get out. But it felt good to say all of that out loud to him. It felt good to be able to talk to him and not feel those emotions of anger, hatred and loss. She didn't love him anymore, not even a little bit, she was in love with Daryl now and she knew it. She felt like a final door to her past had been closed with that conversation and that she was fully ready to embrace her future.

 **(The big reveal really is coming soon. I promise. Thanks for those of you being patient and enjoying it still.)**


	60. Chapter 60

**Here's another one. I've had a super hard time staying focused today, so if it's not the greatest or it seems jumbled and all over the place, that's probably why. Thank you for reading and reviewing.**

Carol ended her call and returned to her spot that she'd been sitting beside Michonne. She felt like a huge weight had been permanently been lifted off of her shoulders. It was like a black cloud had been following her and no matter how hard she'd tried to shake it up until this point it was still looming over her, threatening to spill a storm out. But now, it was as if the sun had come out, shining bright as could be, with her realization that she was completely over Ed and what happened between them, and utterly, helplessly in love with Daryl Dixon.

"Everything alright? You seemed a little upset at first when whoever that was called." Michonne asked as Carol reclaimed her seat. She noticed how troubled Carol seemed to be at first by the phone call she'd received, but that trouble seemed to have disappeared. Instead, it was replaced with an air of lightness about her overall appearance and a gleam in the slightly older woman's eyes.

Carol smirked at Michonne and offered a small nod. "Better than alright." She replied. "I just had to take care of some unfinished business."

"Ex-boyfriend?" She chuckled.

"How'd you know?"

Michonne just shrugged. "Look in your eyes said it all. Like you'd rather light yourself on fire than talk to him, but you felt like you might combust if you didn't say what you needed to." She pursed her lips." Let's just say I remember the feeling. I can't count the times Mike tried to call me after I ended things. To apologize. To promise he'd change. Turn his life around. Empty promises are all they were. That's all they ever were with him."

Carol hummed. "Guess love's better the second time around."

Michonne allowed the corner of her lip to turn up briefly, then her face stilled and she took on a stony look and her brow eyes looked on Carol's blue ones. "I like you, Carol. I think you know that. And I like Daryl. And the two of you, whatever you're doing, believe it or not, I'm happy for you both. I never thought I'd see the day Dixon fell on his face over some girl. And to be honest, it's pretty interesting to me to get all of these glimpses when the two of you think you're being cryptic and that one's watching. But make no mistake about it, I love your brother. And I am down right tired of pretending that I don't know what you're hiding. I'm sick of turning a blind eye to it because I keep trying to tell myself I don't have proof and I don't know for sure so I don't have any business getting into it."

Carol shifted uncomfortably as she listened to her friend speak. It felt like she was five years old again and once of her parents were scolding her for being dishonest.

"So." She continued. "I'm just letting you know that if he doesn't know by the time you two get back from your parent's house next weekend, make no mistake about it, I will tell him. Nothing personal, but he's my boyfriend, and I don't like feeling like I'm keeping something huge from him."

She hung her head in disgust with herself as she filled with the weight of how deceitful she'd been to her own flesh and blood came crashing down on her. At how horrible she felt that her and Daryl's secret made Michonne feel like she was lying to someone she loved and cared deeply for.

The sound of Daryl whistling loudly rom the deck filled the air. "Time to eat. Food's done!" He hollered.

()()()

Daryl sat beside Carol in the two seater gliding chair as the group ate what he, Rick and Glenn had grilled. Well, more so what he and Glenn grilled, really. Rick kinda just stood there and handed them what they needed. But he supposed that counted as helping.

He set his plate on the ground and proceeded to lick his fingers clean from the meal he'd just devoured. They'd marinated the meat in some secret recipe Glenn said his dad always used for cookouts. And he'd be damned if it hadn't added the right kick to it, too.

Carol happened to look up at him cleaning his fingers and couldn't help but smirk at him. In all actuality, seeing him lick his fingers like that was actually pretty sexy. "Proud of that meal you cooked?"

He pulled the last finger he'd been cleaning out of his mouth and it made a loud, popping sound. "You saying it wasn't good?"

She shook her head, still smirking at him. "It was very good. In fact, I think I'm gonna make you start cooking some at home from now on since I know you've been holding out on me with your culinary skills."

He grunted. "Don't mind cooking now and then. Long as I can grill it or put in the microwave."

"Holding you to that." She replied, leaning across him to grab his dirty plate. She went to get up and take both of their plates, but him placing a hand on her arm stopped her in her tracks and she turned face him.

He nervously looked away from her, glancing around them. Everyone else seemed engaged in their own conversations, so he cleared his throat and asked her what he intended to. "Earlier, I saw you out there in the yard. On the phone. You were pacing, twirling your hair in your hand." He paused and searched her eyes. "Are you good?" What he'd really meant was if they were good, because he had an idea of who was on the other end of that line. Only two people could get that sort of anxious reaction out of her. Her step-mom or Ed. And he had a strong feeling that it had been the latter on the line.

Daryl knew she care about him. He could see it in her eyes. It was in the way she looked at him. Even when they were just laying around watching a movie, sometimes he'd feel her eyes on him and catch her just looking over at him with a grin playing at her lips. Or the way she let herself fully relax while she was in his arms. It was like he could feel the tension oozing from her body when he held her close.

But he knew that Ed had been a big part of her life for a long time. He knew she'd lived with the man. Sacrificed her relationship with her family for him. He often wondered if she still loved him. If a small part of her missed him and still wanted him, even after all he'd done. He couldn't help but wonder if that was another reason she hadn't agreed to make them "official" yet, and not just her fear of being hurt again holding her back.

And he wondered that even more so after they'd played that stupid Never Have I Ever Game the other night. When the question had been asked about whether or not anyone had ever taken a pregnancy test and she'd drank to it. Obviously, the two hadn't had a child together, but it made him wonder if it was something they tried for. Or talked about together. If it's something she wanted with him. Because if it was, it spoke whole new volumes to him on how serious their relationship truly had been and how much she might miss him, deep down.

And it made him feel worrisome about where he stood with her if Ed had just called her pouring his heart to her about how much he missed her. If she still loved him, would she drop her life here and move back to be with him?

Carol could sense from his tone of voice that he was concerned about her phone call. There was an almost palpable fear that seemed to seep out into the air around them. As if he was afraid that what they'd been building towards was suddenly about to be swept out from under him.

And she had to fight every urge and instinct that she had in her to stop from reaching out and touching his face to soothe him or pulling him in for a reassuring to kiss to let them know they were just fine. Better than fine actually.

She longed to tell him she loved him, yet she also feared what his reaction might be. As much as she knew he cared for her, saying I love you was a huge step in any relationship, let alone a relationship with someone who'd never said those three little words before and, who prior to meeting you, likely didn't believe in the validity of those words to begin with.

She knew how she felt, she wanted to tell him how she felt, but she also feared how it would feel to make such a confession and have him not be able to say those words back.

But it wasn't like it mattered at the moment anyway. Even if there were still people who didn't know about them, she wouldn't make such a confession right here on the porch either way with five other people to witness it. She felt like that should be a private moment shared between just the two of them.

So, for the sake of circumstance, she simply gave him the warmest smile she could to try and help reassure him. "Everything's better than okay, trust me." She watched a half smile curl at the end of his lips at her assurance. "Ed called me." She informed him and watched that smile quickly falter.

"The fuck did that asshole want?" He gruffly asked.

"I'm not really sure." She admitted. "He said it was to make sure I was okay. He said he was worried about me."

Daryl scowled and dropped his eyes to the floor, then started worrying his bottom lip.

She felt her heart drop a little with how pitiful he looked in that moment. "Hey." She said, her voice soft and tender. "He's not gonna call me again. It's a really long story and when we have some time alone, I'll tell you everything that was said, but I actually think it's a good thing he called. I said some things I think I needed to say to him and it felt good." She motioned between them. "But me and you, there's no reason for you to worry about anything that was said in that phone call. We're good."

His eyes brightened and he moved them from the wood floor of the deck back to hers, offering her a nod, along with the faintest hint of a smile. "Alright. We're good then."

()()()

The rest of the night went about rather smoothly. Everyone finished eating and there wasn't a bit of food left over afterwards. Merle had helped himself to almost three plates full of food.

They decided not to have another wild night like the one before, though a few members of the group sipped on some beer as they played cards.

They played blackjack for a while, then later on, poker. Merle had angled hard for strip poker, though no one else had been keen on the idea. The brother/sister pairs in the room didn't have any desire to see members of their own family naked or even half naked. Nor did any of the couples in the room have a desire to have their other half on display right on front of them like that. Especially not with Merle Dixon's wandering eye in the room.

It was a fairly reasonable hour when everyone decided to call it a night. Between partying the night before and the physical activity they'd raked in during the day, they were all pretty exhausted and ready to hit the hay.

Daryl had opted to stay in the room with the bunk beds tonight since Merle didn't need a baby sitter. He didn't think his back could take another night sleepy in that shitty reclining positon he had the night before. Besides, him staying in the bedroom meant Merle was free to stretch out on the couch and have more room himself. It was more sensible for everyone.

He was on the top bunk above Shawn, while Carol took the top bunk above her brother and Michonne.

But the night was halfway over now and Daryl had found himself tossing and turning. He hadn't been able to drift off completely at all. It was like he couldn't get comfortable. Someone would toss or turn, causing those old rickety futon bunk beds to creak. Or the sound of occasional snoring or mumbling would disturb him.

He hated how sensitive his ears were to sound. But that was just part of being a hunter. His body had been trained long ago to pick up on the tiniest amount of noise.

He partly wondered if one of the reasons that he couldn't sleep was because of all of the people in the room. It reminded him of when he was a kid. Not too long after his mom took off.

His dad had met some waitress with two kids and moved the three of them into her tiny, two-bedroom trailer. The woman had two daughters. One a year older than Merle and one a year older than Daryl. There was a bunk bed in the small bedroom. The girls were supposed to share the bottom and Daryl and Merle were supposed to share the top. But Merle had taken a shining to that girl of hers and he'd decided it was time to explore his sexual awakening. He and the older girl took the bottom bunk while the younger one took the top, and Daryl was left on the floor, sleeping with a pillow over his head most nights.

He hated being cramped in that tiny ass room with three other people. He'd hated that damn trailer period. It was disgusting. Roaches crawling everywhere. Rats running around, leaving shit all in the floor. Syringes scattered around the coffee table. He was glad that the relationship barely lasted three weeks. Sleeping in the damn woods would have been better than that shit.

He tossed again roughly in an effort to get comfortable, the bed creaking as he did.

Sometimes he didn't know he made it out of that life. Away from that God forsaken town and everything in it. Why he wasn't in some trailer park somewhere, shooting up. How he even got to college in the first place or ended up being surrounded by his friends who'd all been raised in upper middle-class homes. With someone Carol, who didn't financially want for anything growing up.

Maybe he wouldn't have it Mr. Horvath hadn't of made him stay after school all those years ago. If he hadn't of taught him how to read or spent all that extra time with him back when he was a kid. Or later when the damn man had ended up being a counselor at his high school and had stayed on his ass about college. Always giving him information on financial aid or making sure he registered for the ACT.

He couldn't leave all the credit there, though. For all the mistakes Merle had made in his life, Daryl couldn't say that his brother hadn't supported him or tried to make sure he had a better life. That bike he drove? Merle bought it for him after he got that signing bonus with the army. He wanted Daryl to be able to have a way to go. To be able to get away from their daddy if he needed to. And his first year of college, he'd helped him pay for what financial aid hadn't. It wasn't a hefty amount, but it helped. He even gave him enough money for food until he was able to land that job at the clinic.

Merle was an asshole, but his older brother loved him and wanted what was best for him, and he knew it.

Daryl knew that Merle suspected something was going on with him and Carol. And he knew that Merle suspected it involved more than sex. He found himself contemplating how Merle really felt about that fact.

Ever since Andrea, Merle didn't have a positive outlook on relationships. He wasn't a fan at all. Hell, he'd told Daryl that it wasn't worth the trouble. A bunch of heartache and headache was all it was. Won't ever last anyway, so why bother? He remembered Merle saying those exact words to him one night not long after Andrea and him broke up. He'd also called her a cold-hearted bitch that didn't have a forgiving bone in her body.

He wondered if his brother would try to cause trouble once he told him what was really going on. Or if he'd see how happy he was and be happy for him. It was hard to say for Daryl, because Merle was like an anomaly to him. You couldn't ever be sure what reaction you'd get from him, and honestly, it could probably vary from minute to minute.

He turned again, the bed creaking loudly. His thoughts drifted to the way Shawn had acting towards Carol all weekend. He didn't like it. Not one damn bit. Not that he had any real concern that Carol would do anything with Shawn, but he just didn't like seeing another guy ogle over her period or be so damn ready and willing to put his hands on her. It made the hair on the back of his neck bristle and some primitive, possessive animal-like instinct fester deep within him. He sighed and a small growl emitted from the back of his throat.

There's no way he was going to be able to fall asleep. His mind was too active. He began to crawl out of bed as quietly as he could. He decided he'd go ahead and take the boat out and gather up those jugs they'd set out. If he still couldn't sleep after that he'd go ahead and start scaling the fish for that fish fry tomorrow.

"Where are you going?" Carol asked as she heard the bedroom door start to open, her voice scratchy and heavy with sleep.

"Can't sleep." He whispered. "Taking the boat out to see if anything's on them jugs. Go back to sleep."

She yawned and stretched. "Can I come with you? I haven't been able to fall asleep good either. This mattress isn't as comfortable without all of that alcohol in my system. And every time I hear a bed move I'm left silently praying it's not from Rick and Michonne doing it."

He chuckled behind closed lips. "Come on then, ain't got all night."

()()()

"Are you sure Hershel doesn't mind if you drive his boat?" She asked once they were out on the water.

"I'm sure. Drove it plenty of times before."

She nodded and looked down at what she was wearing. A pair of fuzzy, navy blue pajamas with small cups of coffee on them and a navy blue tank top without a bra. She hadn't even bothered to put on shoes and she was sure her curly hair looked like a rat's nest. Daryl's appearance wasn't much better at the moment. Just a ragged old wife beater and some basketball shorts she was willing to bet he didn't have boxers on underneath. He didn't have shoes on either. She hoped like hell that they didn't get stopped by the game warden. He'd probably think they stole the boat.

They drove for a while until he stopped the boat to gather up some jugs. He'd peel off the fish and toss them in a large cooler and then drive on until he found some more. He picked up a particular jug that had her letting out a scream when she saw what was on the end of it.

"Is that a freaking snake?" She gasped, covering her eyes.

He laughed and held the jug up higher. "Ain't no damn snake, uncover your eyes."

She peeped through her fingers to see a thin, slimy body without fins thrashing about. "It's not a damn fish." She hissed. "Get rid of it."

He laughed again and shook his head. "It's an eel, Carol. You ain't never seen one? I'm keeping it. Son of a bitch tastes good."

She peeled her hands from her face and gaped at him as he unhooked it. "Ew. You're really gonna eat that?"

"Hell yeah. You can try it tomorrow. It ain't as bad as you think."

She shook her head and grimaced. "No way in hell."

"Suit yourself. But you're missing out." He tossed the squirming eel in the cooler.

"You really eat things like that?" She prodded when he started driving again.

He nodded. "Used to catch them in the creek behind our house growing up. I've at possum, squirrels, raccoons, skunks, shit, whatever I could get my hands on some nights. Told you my old man didn't exactly keep our refrigerator stocked growing up." He smirked up at her. "At least you ain't ever got to worry about me being a picky eater. Even if you couldn't cook good, I'd still probably think it was the greatest shit ever."

She hummed at that. "You trying to say my cooking might suck but you wouldn't know if it did?"

He shrugged innocently and she taped his shoulder. "Don't hit the damn driver, might make us crash into a dock."

She laughed at that, then walked up behind him and rubbed his shoulders softly. "I've missed these quiet moments with just you last night and today. Don't get me wrong, I'm having fun, but I miss being able to touch you whenever I want."

"Miss you touching me, too." He muttered.

She rolled her eyes. "Stop."

He drove the boat a while longer then pulled the to another stop. He gathered a few empty jugs and them peeled some brim off of two others. They were nearing the end of the lake now. There was a sand bar out there and they were away from houses. He pulled the boat near the sand bar and shut it off. He leaned back in his chair and patted his leg. "Sit with me?"

She nodded and took a seat on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck and placing a soft kiss on his cheek. The moon was full and it was descending, but there was still enough light being given off that she could make out Daryl's face, and the sky was clear tonight, stars shining brightly overhead.

She rested her head on his chest and he wrapped his arms around her securely. "It's a nice night." He mumbled, suddenly feeling sleepier and more relaxed than he had all night.

"It is." She agreed. They were both silent for a while, just admiring the beauty of the night sky and the sound of crickets and frogs singing nature's own theme song in the distance. "Do you want me to tell you about that phone call with Ed earlier?" She finally asked him.

He shifted a bit with her in his lap. "If you wanna."

She nodded. "Basically, it's just what I said. He said he called on Easter because he was worried about me and he knew mother's day was coming up and that I'd probably be having a hard time with that, too."

He hummed and had to bite his tongue from saying if the guy gave two fucks when she was with him that they might still be together.

She recounted the way they'd argued a bit and then how she'd told him she was happy and about all the good things she had going on her life here and how good it felt to get it off her chest, though she left out the part where she'd realized she was in love him for now.

He was quiet for a moment. Like he was contemplating something. He chewed his bottom lip until it was painful and then forced himself to ask what had been on his mind. "Do you still love him? I mean, even a little?"

"Daryl.."

If you are I don't….I don't like it….but I know you were with him a long time. Ain't gonna be mad at you for it. You lived with him. Hell, you even thought you was pregnant once." He muttered.

She sat up straight and turned to look him in the eyes. "I don't love him anymore." He went to look away and she caught his chin and turned his face back towards her. "I don't." She insisted, softly, yet firmly at the same time. "What happened with him, that's in my past now. I've moved on and made peace with it. I've got a much brighter future ahead of me." She leaned in and kissed him.

He smiled against her lips. "Yeah?"

"Oh yeah." She paused for a moment. "With him, it was never right. Not really. And part of me always knew that. I freaked out so bad when I thought I was pregnant. It was the night my appendix ruptured. They did a urine and blood test first to rule out pregnancy. The doctor almost seemed hell bent on thinking that's what it was. I was crying. Begging her to please tell me it was actually my appendix and not a baby. The idea or surgery seemed so much acceptable to me, as scared as I was to have surgery for the first time."

"You don't want kids?" He asked, a little bit of surprise in his tone.

"I didn't say that." She clarified. "I just never felt comfortable with the idea of me and him having a baby. When I do decide to have a family, I want a feeling of peace that tells me that my kids are going to be raised in a home with their mom and dad. You know?"

"Yeah. I get it. Trust me. Sucks not having one of your parents around. Fuck, in my case both, really"

She nestled in closer to him. "Look, I know that I have a past with Ed, but I'm being honest with you when I say that is just what it is. A past. I don't want you to think there's anything left there, because there isn't. He's not who I want. And Shawn isn't either." She added.

"Huh?"

"You seem a little…jealous of Shawn."

Pfft. I ain't jealous." He huffed.

"Really?" She challenged with a raised eyebrow.

"I ain't." He insisted. "I just know he wants to fuck you and I don't like that shit."

"He does not! We're friends. I made that perfectly clear to him that night he took me out. He knows that."

He snorted. "Yeah, a friend he wants to stick his dick in."

She really didn't think Shawn was angling for anything like that. But she also saw she wasn't going to convince Daryl otherwise. She decided to try a different tactic with him. One that made her heart flutter, and her stomach knot, and sweat rise on the back of her neck. "Even if that is the case, which I don't think it is, it doesn't matter either. I don't want Ed, I don't want Shawn, I only want you. You want me to trust you, it's a two-way street. You've gotta trust me, too."

"I do trust you. If I didn't there ain't no way in hell I'd even be going for this with you. Wouldn't risk my friendship with Rick over it if I thought you was gonna hurt me."

She took a deep breath and swallowed hard. Her throat felt thick and she wasn't sure she was going to be able to get this out. "I trust you too, Daryl."

He stilled completely. "You…you do?"

She nodded. "I do. You aren't Ed and it's not fair for me to hold back with you because of something he did." She took a deep breath and felt her body start to tremble as she mustered up courage to let out the next words. She managed to get them out in a quick whisper. "I love you."

He felt like his chest just exploded, but in the most amazing way. Hearing her say those three little words, words he hadn't ever heard much of in his entire life, it took his breath away. He could feel her trembling in his arms, probably as scared to say them as he himself had been since the moment he realized that's how he felt about her. Which was that day at the clinic Hershel had made him stay late and presented him with that picture of the two of them on his dock. He'd told Daryl that love made people do crazy things, and it was the first time he considered that he was actually in love with her. That he didn't just like her, but that he was head over hills, completely out of his mind, in love with her.

But he'd known he couldn't tell her then. She wasn't even ready to call herself his girlfriend, how the fuck was he supposed to expect her to say she loved him back? And he damn sure knew he couldn't stand to say those words and not hear them back. It had been terrifying enough to think about telling her he liked her and her not liking him back.

But here she was, telling him she loved him and trusted him. And he couldn't even fucking respond because he was so overwhelmed with emotion he couldn't speak. But he could see the panic rising in her chest and she was still trembling in his arms and he knew he had to do something, so he did the only thing he could think of. Because he knew how vulnerable she had to let herself be to say that and he didn't want her to regret it or take it back.

He cupped her face and kissed her, hard. With everything he had inside of him. Hoping to display everything in that kiss that his mouth wouldn't let him say. And when he finally broke the kiss they were both gasping for air. And she was searching his eyes after, looking for confirmation that the kiss meant he loved her, too. And he nodded. "I do. You know? Love you, too."


	61. Chapter 61

The two had ended up in a heated make out session on the tails of the high that they felt after their profession of love for one another, and Carol was currently straddling his lap as he gripped her hips, his fingernails digging roughly into her skin as she moved her lips to that spot on his neck she knew he loved so much.

He stilled when he felt her start trying to tug his shirt off. As much as he wanted to do this, he knew they couldn't. He hadn't exactly thought to bring any kind of protection with him during this weekend. He didn't anticipate having a moment alone with her away from the others. "We can't." He muttered, a little grudgingly. "I ain't bring nothing with me."

She stopped what she was doing and met his eyes. She gave him a small smile and twisted her fingers underneath his shirt once again before returning to that spot. "It's okay." She mumbled against his skin. "We don't need one."

His eyes grew wide as saucers at that and he placed his hands over hers, pulling them away from his shirt. Panic settled deep in his chest as he began rapidly shaking his head at her. "I told you I loved you. That don't mean I wanna have a kid with you! Not right now!"

She chuckled at him and brought her hands up, planting them firmly on his chest. "You know? I don't exactly want a kid right now either. You're still in school. I still wanna go back to school and get a degree at some point. I'm not trying to make a baby here. I'm just trying to make love to you."

He looked at her confused. "That pulling out shit, it don't always work. I want to, I want you, but it just ain't worth the risk."

His voice was much higher than normal and he looked like a deer caught in the headlights. "You're pretty cute when you're freaked out. You know that?" She smirked.

He scowled at her. "This ain't funny, Carol."

She ran her hands up to his shoulders and bit her lip to stop from laughing. "It's a little funny." He was still scowling at her and she shook her head at him. She reached with her right hand and patted a spot on of the upper side of her left arm. "There's a scar right here. Grab your flashlight so you can see it."

He did as she said and shown the light on her arm, revealing a small, dark, circular scar. "What's that?"

"It's where I had my Implanon inserted." When he looked at her even more confused she clarified. "It's a birth control device. It last for three years, and I just had it put in last summer. Not long after I had my appendix removed. The doctor suggested it after how bad I freaked out when she wanted to rule out pregnancy first. I used to forget my birth control pills now and then and she said it would give me more security."

He flicked the flashlight off after inspecting the scar for a few more seconds and running his finer tip over the rough, raised patch of skin. "Why didn't you tell me you were on birth control before now?"

"When we first started fooling around I knew that you got around a good bit. I figured if you knew then you might not wanna use a condom and I wanted to protect myself. And when we got more serious and agreed not to sleep with anyone else….I don't know….all I could think about for a while was that Ed and I were serious, too, and I still wanted to know I was protected….just in case."

He nodded as if he understood and accepted that answer. "And now?"

"Now? Now I'm saying I don't feel like I need that extra safety measure. I'm clean, I was tested after Ed cheated. Felt like I needed to be sure. You haven't slept with anyone else since we started all of this." She hesitated, not that she didn't believe him, just because she needed to him hear say it again. "Right?"

"Told you, I haven't been with no one else since about a month before I met you."

"Then we're good then? As long as it's okay with you."

He scrapped his bottom lip with his teeth. He'd never had sex without a condom. Not once in his entire life. Girls had tried to get him to do it without one. They'd told him they were on the pill. But he hadn't done it. He didn't believe them when they said it. I mean, shit, how well could you trust someone you'd just met? And he hadn't wanted to catch anything either. If those girls were telling him that then there's no telling how many guys they'd let hit it raw and he wasn't about to come down with something he couldn't get rid of.

But this was Carol. This was the girl he was in love with. And he believed her when she said she was clean. He believed her when she said she was on birth control. He didn't think she'd trap him like that. He didn't think she'd do anything to hurt him physically, or otherwise.

And holy shit, he wanted to. He wanted to so bad. If it was that good with a condom, he couldn't even imagine how fucking amazing it was going to be without one.

He gave her a small nod. "We're good then." His lips met hers and this time he was the one tugging her tank top over her head as she willingly held her arms up for him to do so.

()()()

Merle groaned as he rolled over on the couch and woke up early that morning. He was getting tired of sleeping on the damn thing. It was older and sunken in, the semi new leather one back at his brother's place was much more comfortable. Though he had to admit that he'd slept in much worse places that that old couch in his life.

He sat up, yawned, then scratched his balls before stretching the kinks out of his body. The house was still quiet, not even a mouse could be heard stirring. He concluded that the rest of the group was likely still asleep.

He looked over to the clock and noticed that it was barely seven in the morning. He shook his head as he reached to pick up his pants that were laying on the floor next to him. He'd slept in his boxers last night, though he much would have rather slept naked. But if one of Daryl's friends busted in the room the prude's would have had a damn fit about that, kinda liked Rick had done when he caught him in his bed with that girl Friday morning.

He didn't see what the big fucking deal about it was. He'd gladly have leant his bed to Rick if the guy needed pussy. "Uptight asshole." Merle muttered to himself as he pulled his pants on.

He liked Rick well enough he supposed, but the guy was so tightly wound sometimes he wanted to reach up there and pull out the stick he had lodged in his ass himself.

He reached into the pocket of his jeans and fished out his cigarette and lighter as he headed for the back deck to smoke. That's another damn thing he was tired of. Not being able to smoke in a fucking house when he wanted to.

He took a seat on one of the plastic chairs and lit the cigarette. He revealed in that first taste of nicotine that hit his lips, savoring that menthol taste. The only thing better than a morning cigarette was an after sex morning cigarette, and it didn't look like he'd be getting any of that as long as they were here. Two of the girls were taken, and the other, well, it looked like his brother tripped, fell, and dove face first into a pile of shit called puppy love when it came to her.

Merle didn't understand that shit. Not in the least. His baby brother wasn't the type of guy that let some girl get close enough to him to catch feelings for her.

He wouldn't have been surprised to learn they fucked a few times. Maybe had some friends with benefit thing going. Having sex with the same girl more than once wasn't Daryl's thing normally, he had to admit, but having a pretty little thing like across your hallway had to make you question on taking one dip in the pond so to speak. It would be too tempting for any man to pass up when the platter's right there in front of you all the damn time.

But Merle knew that Daryl wasn't simply sampling the platter when it came to this girl. Nah, he was straight sprung on her. He could see it in the boy's eyes. He was like some love sick puppy when it came to her. It was downright fucking pitiful is what it was.

Personally, he didn't see a good outcome for this where his baby brother was concerned.

It wasn't that he didn't like Carol. Hell, he didn't know her well enough not to like her. And to be honest, from what little he did know, he was intrigued by her. She was pretty and soft spoken, yet she was as feisty and spirited. That girl didn't take no shit. He admired that. It wasn't a quality he wanted in a woman for himself, but her admired her spunk, none the less.

Nah, he didn't think it was a good idea because she'd just gotten out of a long relationship. One that left her heart broken and vulnerable. If Daryl was anything at all to her, Merle could only see him being some rebound guy she clung to for comfort while she licked her wounds. Once they were healed and she picked all the pieces back up she'd scrape Daryl off like he was mud on her boots.

Ain't no good that could come from this situation for Daryl in Merle's eyes. No good at all.

He flicked the cherry off of his cigarette as he further pondered the situation.

The younger Grimes didn't seem to be any the wiser about the whole damn thing. Or he hadn't let on if he was. Merle might not be the brightest crayon on the box, but he was a smart enough man to know that Rick wouldn't take to kindly to his best friend putting it to his sister.

He hummed to himself, taking another long drag. Maybe he'd just have to kill two birds with one stone while he was here. Enlighten Rick's eyes to the truth of what was going on before him and break this little shit up before Daryl ended up in shit creek without a paddle.

()()()

Daryl and Carol ended up back at the lake house right before the sun came up that morning. Both crawling back into their respective bunks.

He wasn't sure if it was pure exhaustion from being up all night, or the euphoria he was feeling from the combination of Carol telling he she loved him and them finally becoming an official couple followed by their little sexcapade on the boat. It was probably a mix of all of those things, but whatever it was, he slept like a damn baby until ten that morning. It was the most peaceful four hours of sleep he'd ever experienced in his life. The only thing that could have made it better was if he could have had Carol right there in bed next to him.

He knew they were telling Rick about them in a few days and that things were probably going to get really ugly when they did, but for the moment, he couldn't be happier with where his life was right now. And he really hoped that Rick could see how happy they made each other and understood where they were coming from and why they hadn't told him before now and why they'd felt like they had to lie to him.

The day had gone by pretty smoothly. They'd spent some more time out on the boat tubing. They'd played chicken in the water earlier. The lake was low because of the warm summer and lack of rain and they'd ended up playing chicken. Merle had scooped Daryl up on his shoulders before he could choose his own partner. Rick had scooped Michonne up and Glenn had scooped Maggie up. Daryl was slightly irritated when Shawn lifted Carol onto his shoulders, but he tried not to let it show. He kept playing their conversation from only hours before over in his head. Reminding himself that she loved him and only him. That even if Shawn wanted her, she wouldn't ever go for anything with him, so it didn't matter. Though he did almost bite a hole in his damn lip when he could have sworn Shawn's hand was gliding over her leg in an almost intimate way while he was holding her up. Though he did "accidentally" kick him a couple of times while they were all wrestling around in the water.

Fuck he was so ready to get this out in the open it wasn't even funny. Because if Shawn tried some shit like that when he knew that they were together, he'd kick his fucking teeth in without hesitation.

But other than that, the day had been good. Overall, he'd enjoyed the weekend and it had ended up a lot better than it could have. Especially when you considered the fact that Merle was around.

Currently, he and Rick were sitting beside each other cleaning all of those fish that he and Carol had gathered up in the wee hours of the morning so they could throw them in the fryer and cook up dinner.

"You kicked my ass in chicken." Rick laughed as he was scaling the brim he had in his hands. "Or, Michonne's ass really." He paused from scaling the fish. "You know, thinking back, that match wasn't really fair to any of the girls. You clearly had the advantage."

Daryl let out a small laugh. "Reckon we should've put Glenn on Merle's shoulders instead. Might've been more fair for everybody."

Rick chuckled at that. "Why have you always gotta pick on him because he's short? He's a little bad ass. You know that right?"

Daryl shrugged smirked as he started skinning that eel that he hadn't thrown back. "Yeah, I know he is. Hell, he could probably kick your ass. We should've had you on Michone's shoulders."

He scowled at that. "Haha, aren't you funny?"

"Fucking hilarious if I say so myself." He tossed the eel skin in the grass and steadily went to work on the cleaning the other side. When he looked up again he saw that Rick had stopped scaling his fish and his eyes were trained on the dock where Carol, Michonne and Maggie were sitting and talking to each other and sharing laughs. Rick had a goofy grin spread across his face as he seemed to be enchantedly watching Michonne smiling and talking to her friends. Daryl couldn't help the small smile that lined his own lips as he watched Carol. He glanced over to Rick, swinging the eel in his hands as he talked. "You love her?"

"Huh?" He replied, as he snapped his attention back in Daryl's direction.

"Michonne." He motioned with the eel. "You love her?"

"Oh." Rick blushed. "Yeah, yeah I do. Told her for the first time the other night."

Daryl gave a slight nod as he went to work cleaning the eel again. "If I ain't said it already, I'm really happy for you. Both of you. You two are good together."

Rick dropped his fish on the ground and arched an eyebrow at Daryl, staring at him like he had two heads.

"What?" He grumbled when he noticed his friend's eyes on him.

"That's just not something you'd normally say. You hated it when I was with Lori. And you hate relationships!"

Daryl shrugged again. "That was different. I didn't like Lori. Always had a bad feeling about her. I like Michonne. You're different now that you're with her. You ain't always moping around being all miserable and shit. Thought your ass was gonna permanently morph to the couch for a while there."

Rick shook his head and grimaced at the thought of how pitiful he must have been only a little over a month ago. "I was pretty bad for a while there. I was in a dark place." He paused. "You really helped me when I was at my lowest. You gave me tough love and made me realize it wasn't the end of the world. That my life would go on without her. Don't think I ever really thanked you for it."

"Hey, we're friends aint we?" He dismissed. "Ain't gotta thank me. You'd do the same if I ever needed you to."

"I doubt I ever have to pull you back from the edge over some girl." Rick chuckled as he leaned over to pick the fish he dropped off the ground.

Daryl stopped what he was doing and looked Rick square in the eyes. "I damn sure hope you don't ever have to."

Rick could sense something was off with Daryl by the earnest look he had in his eyes in that moment. But it wasn't because he didn't ever wanna be bothered by falling for some girl like he normally would have assumed, but it was as if he had already found someone he didn't wanna lose. There was a certain level of fear hidden behind in his eyes as he said those words.

Just then Shawn walked up between both men. "You guys need some help? I'm fucking starving and the sooner we get these bitches cleaned the sooner we can all eat."

Rick pointed to the cooler beside them. "Help yourself. Do you need a knife?"

"I've got one." He replied, pulling a pocket knife out of his shorts.

Glenn walked up and joined in on the guy's efforts. The only person missing from the group at the moment was Merle, and the last time anyone had seen him he'd been napping on the couch after downing a whole six pack by himself. Thy worked in mostly silence, occasionally shooting the bull on random topics every now and again.

Several times while they were cleaning the fish Daryl noticed Shawn sneaking glances out on the dock over at Carol here and there and each time it made his blood boil a little more. Finally, when she was bending over to pick something up and he was blatantly staring at her ass, not even trying to hide it anymore, Daryl reached his breaking point. Whether or not she loved him and only him be damned, he couldn't sit here for another fucking second and watch another man stare at his woman like that. "Hey sunshine?" He growled, popping Shawn in the back of the head forcefully. "Why don't you keep your fucking eyes up here?"

Glenn and Rick stopped what they were doing and their eyes landed on the two men beside them.

"The fuck's your problem Dixon?" He spat, shoving Daryl hard. "Don't act like you haven't been checking her out this weekend, too. Mr. you can sit with me on the tube. Like no one knew what that shit was about."

He shoved Shawn back even harder. "My problem is that you're walking around here with your eyeballs popping out of your damn head drooling over Carol. Acting like you're two damn seconds away from walking over and humping her damn leg or some shit."

"Yeah, and you might as well piss on her and mark your fucking territory by the way you've been acting all weekend." He huffed. "She's single and if I wanna look at her I can fucking look at her. Stop getting your panties in a damn bunch just because you're jealous because you wanna hit it."

The two men were nose to nose and Glenn jumped in between them pushing them apart at that last remark Shawn made. He knew things would only get ugly from here.

"Man, you don't know shit about me and Carol. I ain't got a damn reason to be jealous. She already turned your ass down once. You ain't got the first fucking clue when it comes to anything about us. And I ain't gonna say it again, keep your fucking eyes up here before I take care of that problem for you."

"Enough." Rick screamed, jumping beside Glenn and creating more distance between the two men.

All of the yelling and screaming had drawn the girl's over by now and Carol stood there in front of them with her hands on her hips. "What the hell is going on she demanded upon seeing her brother and Glenn standing between a very angry Daryl and Shawn. Both men breathing heavy, chests heaving, fists clenched.

"I know exactly what's going on and I'm sick and tired of pretending like I don't." Rick yelled before anyone else could answer.

Maggie and Michonne's jaws dropped, waiting for the ball to drop and hell to ensue.

"Excuse me?" Merle loudly butted in, stepping in the huddle that had been formed. "But I got a fucking question." He held up a tiny, rectangular shaped piece of plastic in his hand. "Who the fuck does this belong to?" He narrowed his eyes on Carol as his voice dropped dangerously low. "Because I know who the fuck it better not belong to." In his hands, rested a pregnancy test with two pink lines indicating a positive.

The air of tension and anger immediately shifted to one of panic and fear as the three men who were involved ins sexual relationships quickly turned their attention to the women they were sleeping with. Eyes darting expectantly on their women.

"Are you pregnant?" They cried out in unison, though in slightly different variations.

"Maggie, you're pregnant?" Shawn barked.

"No! Of course not!" All three woman barked.

"We haven't even been together that long." Michonne reasoned to Rick. "And we're always safe."

"I'm on the pill!" Maggie sternly reminded Glenn. "You'd be the first person I told if I even suspected that." Then she looked over at her brother who was staring her down. "I'm not pregnant. You're not gonna be an uncle."

"After that conversation we had last night how could you even think that?" Carol reminded Daryl. "And there's no way I wouldn't come to you if I even thought that for a second."

Rick's seemed to accept Michonne's answer and turned his attention to Carol. He'd been so caught up in his own conversation he hadn't heard the one she and Daryl were having. "Is it you? Are you pregnant? He narrowed his eyes on Shawn before she could answer and took a step forward. "Did you knock my sister up?"

Shawn tossed his hands in the air. "What the fuck are you even talking about? I've never even touched her, man."

"That's a damn lie. I know for a fact you kissed her before. On that date you took her on."

"Rick." Carol screamed. "I'm not pregnant, and if I was it wouldn't be Shawn's."

"She ain't fucking Shawn." Daryl snapped.

"She didn't even want me to kiss her that night. I made myself look like a dumbass. I've never slept with her!" Shawn hollered. "I mean….I would have if she'd let me." He shrugged. "But I haven't."

He snapped his head back. "Stop lying. I know you slept with him. I know he's the second guy you've been with it. That's why he hasn't been able to keep his eyes off of you all weekend. It's why he's been subtly flirting with you." He pointed to Daryl. "And it's why he's been pissy as hell and acting jealous. He likes you. Never thought I'd see the damn day, but I can't even explain that away anymore after he just blew up on Shawn for looking at you."

Merle busted into a fit of uproarious laughter. "Are you fucking blind as a bat? Did you fall off of a watermelon truck? Were you born yesterday."

"Merle." Daryl snapped. "Cut it out. Let me handle this."

"Nah, little brother. This is long overdue. I can't believe he still doesn't know. He fucking lives with both of you. I don't see how he hasn't put all the puzzle pieces together by now. You two should get a nobel prize for being the world's best deceitful assholes for pulling it off as long as you have. That or Rick should get one for being the world's biggest dumbass."

Rick looked over at Shawn, who seemed just as dumbfounded at the news as he was. Then to Carol. Then Daryl. Who were now standing mere inches from one another. And it was like a light bulb went off in his head. A million flashes of little moments over the past month and a half started playing through his head. Moments he couldn't believe he looked over. Moments they flat out lied to his face about it.

"Rick, look man, I'm sorry. It just kinda happened at first." Daryl started. "We should've told you a long time ago. It was wrong to lie to you like we did.

"I'm sorry, Rick." Carol jumped in. "I know you're mad and you have every right to be. We were gonna tell you soon. We really were. We fucked up. I'm so sorry."

Rick clenched his jaw, rage pulsing through his veins. The words they were saying were a jumble in his mind. The erratic sound of his own heartbeat thumping in his ears. He narrowed his eyes on Carol's and shook his head in anger and disappointment. "You lying bastard." He growled, as took stepped forward and took a swing, a crunching sound could be heard as his fist connected with Daryl's face hard.

 **(There you go. It took me days to get this to where I was even okay with it and I'm going out of town with a friend and didn't wanna make you wait until the weekend for the next installment so I made myself get this to a place I was okay with tonight. I'll try to update on my phone during the boring car ride to where I'm going. Either tomorrow sometime if I can or Friday on my way home. Thanks for reading and reviewing.)**


	62. Chapter 62

Daryl stumbled, but didn't fall on his ass after Rick's blow connected with the left side of his face. The hit had taken him completely by surprise. As far as he knew, Rick hadn't even hit Shane when he found out about him and Lori. Rick wasn't normally the type of guy that was prone to violence. He was level headed, he thought things out, he didn't react first. The fact that his response to this entire situation was to lash out in anger, well, it stunned Daryl to say the least.

The metallic taste of blood filled his mouth and he spit a glob of red onto the grass. He rubbed his throbbing jaw, then brushed his thumb over of the his freshly busted lip, wincing slightly at the pain, as he tried to regain his bearings and process what the fuck just happened.

He flicked his eyes up and Saw Rick coming at him again, fiery rage burning in his eyes as he barreled towards him. Daryl was fully anticipating the swing this time and dunked quickly. Rick stumbled when his fist connected with thin air instead of Daryl's face and Daryl readied himself to take a swing of his own as soon as Rick tried to whip himself back around in his direction.

He knew that Rick had a right to be pissed at both of them for lying and hiding this from him for so long. It was a low down, deceitful thing to do, and it was the wrong thing to do. Daryl couldn't deny of that. And he probably could have lived with letting Rick get a hit in on him for it and stopped himself from reacting. It still would have pissed him off, but maybe he would have given him that one. But he wasn't about to sit here and let any damn body try and beat his ass and not fight back. He put with enough of that shit growing up. He wasn't about to do it right now.

()()()

Merle had watched the situation unfolding and even smiled to himself a little at the chaos that started unfolding from it all. He still wanted to know who the positive pregnancy test belonged to that he found in the trash, but he'd found momentary distraction from that situation by outing his baby brother's secret relationship.

It was going to cause problems, hell it already was, and that's exactly what Merle had been hoping for by jumping in and making sure Rick found out before Daryl could try and play it off. Now that it was out, maybe the excitement of it all would wear off and Daryl would come to his fucking senses and realize that he needed to get out now before he got in too deep. Or maybe Rick would demand that they end it if Daryl wanted to keep his friendship with him. That'd be even better. Merle knew Daryl cared about Rick, that his brother was a good guy, usually loyal to a fault with people he cared about. If Rick demanded that they end it then he felt like Daryl would try to salvage their friendship and the girl's relationship with her brother.

Maybe he was being harsh, cold-hearted even, but he it was what he thought was best for Daryl in the long run. He was trying to help him, really.

And when Rick took a swing at Daryl, Merle even chuckled a bit at that. This shit was better than he hoped for, Rick Grimes was pissed the fuck off. There was no way he was going to be okay with Daryl and Carol together, or the fact that they lied to him. Merle could see the relationship falling apart before his eyes and he felt proud of himself for stepping in and turning on the light for Rick. Hell, maybe a good hit to the jaw would snap some sense into the boy and he'd see what a disaster he'd gotten himself into.

But he stopped laughing when he saw Rick jump up and start running at Daryl again. One hit was okay, maybe even warranted for what Daryl had done, but he'd be damned if Rick Grimes thought he was gonna sit there and try to whoop Daryl's ass right there in front of him.

Not that he didn't think Daryl couldn't handle himself against Grimes, he knew damn well his brother could hold his own. But it was the principal of the thing.

"Hold on just a damn minute." He growled as he began to run towards Rick, but he was quickly being restrained by Glenn and Shawn who had both anticipated his reaction.

()()()

Daryl heard people gasping, screaming, yelling, but he didn't really hear anything that was being said in that moment. He was too preoccupied with the throbbing on the left side of his face and the making sure Rick didn't sucker punch him again. He narrowed his gaze as Rick turned to come at him again and he took a few angry steps forward, rearing back and ready to hit him first this time. His jaw was set, fists clenched, but he stopped in his tracks when Carol jumped in front of him, placing a hand on his chest. "Don't." She told him firmly.

He clenched his fist even tighter until his knuckles turned white, but didn't take another step. He didn't want her getting hurt trying to get between them. He'd never forgive himself if he accidently put his hands on her trying to get to Rick. His chest was heaving and he tried to force himself to slow his breathing and calm himself down.

She grazed Daryl's busted lip with her thumb and grimaced. Blood was still trickling down his mouth and it was already swollen and angry looking. She whipped her head around to face her brother who had also stopped in his tracks at the sight of her between them. His eyes were dangerously set on Daryl and she could tell by his gait that he was contemplating throwing another punch right then and there.

But that wasn't happening, not as long as she was there. "If you wanna hit him again, you're gonna hit me first." She barked at her brother, her blue eyes narrow and dark as she stared him down, unwilling to look away until he did first. "Same goes for you." She replied, turning to Daryl and looking at him sternly. "Neither of you is laying a hand on each other. There's no sense in all of this. We're gonna talk about this like we should have a long time ago."

Rick took three deep breaths, swung his arms in frustration, then rested his hands on his hips. He was pissed off at Daryl, he was pissed at Carol, he was beyond furious at the situation in general, but he'd never put his hands on her, not even in an attempt to get to Daryl. Putting your hands on a woman wasn't right, no matter how angry you were, and it was clear she wasn't budging so he could get to Daryl to take out all of his frustration. He had to find another way to release this anger for now. "THAT'S MY SISTER!" He screamed. "MY SISTER! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE MY BEST FRIEND. MY BEST FRIEND!"

"I know. Alright? I know." Daryl sighed and ran a hand through his hair, smearing blood in it in the process. "Lying to you was a shitty thing to do and we both should have come clean a long time ago."

Rick cocked his head, studying them both as if he just realized how long he'd likely been in the dark about things. "How long? How long has this been going on?"

"We started sleeping together Easter weekend while you were gone." Carol admitted, rather calmly.

"Since Easter weekend?" He hissed. "I asked you both that night I got home and found you on the couch curled up together. I asked you both then if anything happened and you looked me in the eye and lied and you been fucking lying to me for over a month sense then?"

"Look, we didn't say anything that night because it was supposed to be a one-time thing. It was just gonna be that weekend and that was it." Daryl tried to reason.

Rick glared at him. "You think that makes it better? You promised me when she moved here you wouldn't try anything with her. You looked me in the eye and said you wouldn't touch her, then the moment I go out of town you decide it's okay to work your way into her pants and forget about that little promise you made?"

"He didn't work his way into my pants." Carol spat, her own voice raising this time. "I started flirting with him first. I kissed him first, before that weekend even happened, and it was my idea for me and him to fool around in the first place. I climbed in his lap that first night we were together." She pointed at her chest. "Me. I kissed him. I told him I wanted to. He didn't try to take advantage of me."

He shook his head and pointed to Daryl. "How could you wanna sleep with him? Do you have any idea how many women he's been with? He has an STD for crying out loud."

Carol's face paled and she jerked her head around to face Daryl, her voice high pitched angry. "You have an STD and you let me have unprotected sex with you and you didn't tell me before?"

Daryl shook his head rapidly. "No, no, no! I don't. I'm clean, I swear to God I'm clean. I wouldn't put your health at risk like that. I always used condoms before. You know that."

Rick looked at Carol. "You're having unprotected sex with him!" He yelled. "Are you trying to fuck your life up even more than you already have? Is that pregnancy test yours?" He turned towards Daryl. "And you're the one who told me you have it. How are you gonna sit here and tell her you don't? Do you even know how to tell the truth anymore?"

She patted her upper left arm. "I've got a birth control device in, asshole. I've had it since I was with Ed. I'm not pregnant." She spat at Rick. She turned and glared at Daryl. "Why did you tell him you have an STD if you don't?"

He sighed heavily and swiped a hand over his face. "It was that night you wanted to go downtown and you kept trying to get me to hook up with Jessie's friend and I kept trying to brush her off and she wouldn't take no for an answer and neither would you. I told you that so you wouldn't think something was up when I walked out of the club after she kissed me. I didn't know what else to say to get you off my fucking back about it and I'd tried to tell you I liked Carol earlier that night and you just fucking laughed at me and it pissed me off that you wouldn't even take me seriously. "I ain't got no STD. I ain't never had no STD. And I swear I'd never do anything to hurt her like that if I had one."

Carol turned and gave Daryl a small smile and nod. She believed what he said. She knew what happened that night, they'd had that talk a long time ago. She just didn't know he'd told Rick he had and STD to get out of the situation. If things weren't so screwed up right now she might even laugh at that, but this was a time to be serious and smooth things over. Laughing wasn't going to help anything right now. "Listen, Rick." Carol began, trying to talk as soothingly as possible. "We both know that we should have told you sooner. We both admit we shouldn't have lied to you any, let alone as many times as we did. It was wrong. We can't excuse that and we understand you're mad and hurt about that part…but you have to take a minute and look at things from our perspective. You had no right to tell either of us we couldn't mess around to begin with. I love you and I know you love me and I know you think you're looking out for me by being the way you are, but it's not alright for you to be that protective. You're not my dad, you're my brother. Daryl and I? We're both adults, and contrary to what you think, I am capable of making my own decision and effectively running my own life. If I wanna have sex with someone, that is my choice to make, not yours."

"That doesn't make it okay for you to tell someone you're not gonna do something and then go behind their back and do it anyway and lie to their face about it!"

"You would have freaked out if we told you the damn truth!" Daryl cut in. "And she's right, we shouldn't have had to come from you at the jump anyway and ask your permission if we wanted to hook up. That's fucking weird man."

"We should have told you after things got serious with us. After Daryl told me he liked me. But I was scared it wouldn't work out, Rick. I was still screwed up from everything with Ed and with Daryl's past with women I just didn't know if this would last. I liked him, but as far as I knew he'd change his mind in a few weeks and decide a relationship wasn't what he wanted. I didn't wanna put your friendship with him at risk over that. I didn't want to come between you two if things didn't work. I knew how you felt about the idea of me and him. I knew you wouldn't be okay with it. I made a mistake with my call not to tell you until I was sure about me and him." She motioned between them. "We made a mistake. But we were gonna tell you in private. After we got back from our parent's. I was even considering telling you there with just the two of us so you wouldn't blow up on Daryl like you just did."

Rick was staring at both of them, drawing in quick breaths, a thin, angry line across his lips as his eyes shot daggers at them

Daryl brought his thumb up to his lip and chewed at his cuticle. He looked at Carol. then he looked over at Rick and let his voice become soft and gentle. "I know you're mad but I love her, man. I'm fucking in love with her. She ain't just some piece to me. I wouldn't have ever risked our friendship if that's all this was."

Rick's head titled and for a split second all traces of anger were gone. "You're….you're in love with her? You're in love with my sister?"

Daryl nodded. "Yeah, I am."

"And you love him?" He asked Carol.

She bit her lip and nodded. "I do. Very much."

Rick paused for a moment and seemed to process that realization. He thought about how foolish he felt. He thought about all the times they lied to him. How easily it seemed to come them. He thought about all the times Lori and Shane had lied to him and how foolish he'd felt when he'd walked in on them. He remembered how betrayed he felt by the two people in the world he should be able to trust most and right now he felt such a shockingly similar betrayal. Finally, he took a deep breath, the anger and rage flooding him once again. His voice grew cold and his eyes turned dark. "It doesn't matter. It doesn't change the fact that you both lied to me and made me look like a fool for the last month. You're both selfish, manipulative assholes. Guess that makes you perfect for each other, though." He stormed off and headed for his car.

"Rick! Rick! Come back!" They called out in unison.

He glanced over his shoulder at them. "Fuck both of you." He narrowed his gaze on his sister. "Shit like that, after Shane, I can expect that from a friend. I should have known I couldn't trust him. But you, you're my family. My flesh and blood. I should be able to trust you no matter what. All that shit you talked about Lori and Shane, you're worse than them." He shook his head in disgust. "Don't come home this weekend. I don't want you there. And I don't give a damn if I see either of you again. I hope you live happily fucking after and it was worth it."

Michonne offered the couple a sympathetic look and bolted after Rick.

Carol felt tears threating to sting her eyes as she watched her brother walk away. She'd known it was going to be bad, but hadn't realized how bad. He didn't slow down for Michonne's calls and when they both disappeared behind the house and she heard the sound of a car start she had to push back a sob.

Daryl heard her choke back tears and wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close to him.

()()()

Merle cleared his throat. "Now that all of that dramatic shit is over, I wanna get back to why I came out here in the first damn place. This piece of plastic belongs to somebody and I damn sure ain't ready to be no uncle, somebody better step up and claim this before I start going off."

"Carol ain't pregnant." Daryl growled. "For the millionth fucking time, she's on birth control and until last night we always been using condoms."

Merle waved it at Maggie and Glenn. "Guess congratulations are in order short round."

Glenn paled and stared at Maggie, eyes filled with worry.

Maggie scowled and swatted the stick out of Merle's hand. "I'm not pregnant."

"It belongs to some damn body."

"Where'd you find that?" Shawn asked, swallowing hard as a realization hit him like a mac truck.

"Bathroom. Had to shit and there was no toilet paper left. There was a wad of tissue near the bottom of the trashcan and I started digging them out to wipe my ass with. This fell out."

Maggie and Shawn shared a deflated look.

You don't think?" Glenn asked, his own tone mingled with worry and disappointment.

Maggie's chin fell to her chest. "It's gotta be if it doesn't belong to someone here. Beth's the only one it could belong to."

"I'm gonna fucking kill Jimmy." Shawn growled.

 **And there you go. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Hope you guys are still with me. We've still got a little way to go, but we're winding on down now. At least, I think we are.**


	63. Chapter 63

An almost eerie silence settled amongst the reaming six members of the group. Daryl and Carol were lost in their own world after the fallout from Rick finding out about them. Shawn, Maggie, and Glenn were all rocked by the revelation that teenaged Beth was most likely pregnant.

Merle stood there amongst them, scratching his chin, almost appearing to be lost deep in thought. He looked up and shrugged a shoulder. "Now that all this shit's settled, let's fry up these fish. I'm fucking starving."

The other five looked up and glared at him.

Maggie huffed then picked up a freshly scaled fish and threw it at him. "Some of us are in the middle of a fucking crisis right now and don't wanna sit around and eat and pretend everything is okay." She angrily shook her finger at him. "And you're to blame for a lot of this. You and that big damn mouth of yours."

Merle jumped out of the way of the flying fish and snorted. "Me? How in the hell is any of this my fault? Carol's the one putting it to my brother behind her brother's back and lying to his face about it. And your little sister is the one who was going out spreading her legs. That ain't my damn fault either. I didn't stick my dick in her and knock her up. But if she was a few years older I wouldn't mind…"

"Watch your damn mouth." Shawn barked, cutting off whatever disgusting thing Merle was about to say.

Daryl rubbed his temples and shook his head. "Just stop talking Merle. Nothing good ain't gonna come from you opening your mouth. It never does."

()()()

No one, other than Merle, had been in a mood to keep hanging out after everything that happened. They all went inside, cleaned up their messes, packed their bags, and decided to head back to their respective houses.

When they got inside Carol took the time to clean Daryl's lip up and put some ice on it. The bleeding had stopped, but it was still puffy and angry looking from Rick's punch. It was going to be sore for a while.

Merle had originally ridden with Rick to the lake house, but since Rick stormed off and left other arrangements had to be made to get him home. Daryl's bike wasn't big enough for him, Carol and Merle.

"You sure you're cool with dropping him by the house?" Daryl asked Shawn, as he slung his bag over his shoulder and prepared to head out the front door. He knew

"Yeah, it's no big deal. My apartment isn't that far from your house." He nodded to the cooler. "Besides, someone's gotta drop your share of fish off." The group had decided to split the fish that had been caught earlier amongst all of them. There was no sense in all of them going to waste.

Daryl gave him a small nod. "Appreciate it." He went to step out the door, but the feel of Shawn's arm grasping around his shoulder gave him pause. He looked up at him curiously, arching a brow.

Shawn rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly and glanced down at his feet. He cleared his throat and met Daryl's eyes. "Look, I didn't know about you and Carol. Alright? I didn't know there was anything there. That she was your girl. If I had, I wouldn't have been looking at her like that. I wouldn't have even been thinking about it."

Daryl peeked over his shoulder to see Carol emerging from the room she'd slept in this weekend, her own backpack on her shoulder. She stopped to say something to Maggie who was at the end of th small stairway that led into the living room. He understood why Shawn wanted to get with her, she was a beautiful girl. Even if the very idea of anyone else with her made him cringe, he wasn't stupid enough to think no other man wouldn't want her. They'd have to be blind not to think about it. "We're good, man." He offered him a sideways grin, despite the downed mood he was in after the Rick fall out. "My girlfriend's hot. Ain't like I could blame you for thinking of it." Daryl shrugged. "I reckon I owe you an apology for tripping out on you like I did. You know I ain't normally the kinda guy to get jealous, but the idea of you even trying something with her…..I just really care about her. You know?"

Shawn let out a small laugh. "I get it. Hell, I'm pretty sure we all got it when you told Rick you were in love with her." He held up his hands innocently. "Like I said, it won't happen again now that I know what's up."

()()()

Daryl and Carol got to the house before Merle and Shawn did and the first thing Carol did was whip out her cell phone and start trying to call her brother. It rang repeatedly, but Rick never picked up on the other end. She dialed the number again several times, eventually the phone started going straight to voicemail. She let out a frustrated groan and threw her phone on the couch. She brought her thumb up to the side of her mouth and anxiously started gnawing at her nail.

She'd known Rick was going to be upset with both of them. There'd never been any doubt about that in her mind. But she never once envisioned him being mad enough to take a swing at Daryl. Or to compare her to Lori and say that she was even worse than that. He told them both he never wanted to see them again, and the set look in his eyes as he said it had Carol thinking it was true. She was worried she'd lost her relationship with her brother forever. And she didn't have the first clue as to how to fix it. Especially if he wouldn't talk to her.

"It's gonna be alright." Daryl said, almost in whisper, as he stepped behind her and clasped his arms around her waist. "Let him cool off some, we'll try to call him again tonight." He kissed her cheek and tightened his grip around her in an effort to try and calm her.

She lowered her hand and placed it over his, biting at her lip to push back the emotion in her voice. "We screwed up, Daryl. Really bad. I don't know if he's ever gonna forgive us for this. I don't know what I was thinking when I told you we shouldn't tell him. Why didn't I realize how much worse that'd make things in the long run?"

"He's pissed Carol, but he's your brother, he ain't gonna hate you forever." He was trying to reassure her, to make the situation seem better, and what he was saying was the truth. He knew that Rick and her were blood. Family. Eventually, his anger towards her would dissipate. There were few things that could break that sibling bond. He didn't, however, have the same peace of mind that Rick would forgive him. He hadn't hesitated to cut Shane off when he found out about him screwing Lori behind his back. He wasn't sure that same unbreakable bond extended to friendships. But he wasn't about to voice that concern right now and make her even more upset.

She pulled in a deep breath and slipped out of his embrace. She turned where she was facing him and rested her hand on either side of his hips, leaning her head into his chest. "I'm sorry." She mumbled against his shirt.

He pushed her off of him and cupped her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. "Why are you sorry?"

"For dragging you into this. For coming between you and Rick."

"Hey?" He shook his head slightly at her. "You didn't drag me into nothing." His head came to rest against hers. "I'm here because I wanna be here. Because something's been different about you since the moment I laid eyes on you that night you first moved in. Ain't nothing that could've stopped this from happening between us. Not anything Rick said, not anything a single damn person said or did would've stopped how I ended up feeling about you. Maybe we handled it wrong, we shouldn't have lied, I get that. But we felt like we couldn't come to him and he was wrong for putting up boundaries he didn't have a bit of business setting in the first place."

Her lip curled up ever so slightly at his words before it fell into a frown again. She linked her hands in his and gave them a gentle squeeze, though she wasn't exactly able to form words at the moment.

"I ain't sorry for how I feel about you. And I won't be. I'm sorry we lied to him, I'm sorry we hurt him, but I can't be sorry that I….that I love you."

This time she couldn't help the smile that came across her lips and she couldn't force it back down. It was only the second time she'd heard him say that, and it technically hadn't been twenty-four hours since the first time he said it, but it still filled her stomach with butterflies and made her heart flutter when she heard him say it. As bad as this situation was, as many regrets as she had, she couldn't regret falling in love him either. She stood on her tip toes and brushed her lips against his softly. "I'm not sorry that I love you either. Don't ever think I am."

About the time she brushed her lips against Daryl's, Shawn dropped Merle off and he came strolling through the front door. He stopped in his tracks and watched the couple, grimacing as he listened to their conversation. They hadn't seemed to notice him and he kicked behind him to make the door slam shut, causing them to jump and turn their attention to him.

"Oh, did I interrupt your little moment there?" Merle mocked. "I'm so sorry."

Carol rolled her eyes, scowled at him, then turned to look at Daryl. "I'm gonna go for a run. Clear my head a little."

He gave Merle a look of his own before he turned his attention back to Carol. "You want me to come with you?"

"No, I just need a few minutes to myself. I'll be back in a little while. I'll cook us something when I get back. It's getting late and I'm getting hungry."

Daryl glanced back at Merle, who had a cooler in one hand that contained their share of the fish. "I'll just fry up those fish while you're gone and you'll have something waiting when you get back. No need to waste them."

She took his hand in hers and squeezed it one more time. "Thank you." She replied, before walking off to her room to change into her running clothes.

()()()

Daryl took the cooler into the kitchen and started prepping everything he needed to do in order to start frying them. Once he battered them up he started tossing them in the deep fryer. Not too long after that he was joined by Merle in the kitchen.

"Smoke?" His brother asked, extending his own pack to Daryl.

"Rick gets pissed when we smoke inside and I can't go on the porch right now. I'm in the middle of cooking."

Merle pulled one out for himself and lit it right there in the kitchen. "Rick ain't here right now, is he?" He nudged the pack towards Daryl once again. "Come on, I know you could use one after the damn day you've had."

Daryl eyed the pack and sighed, reaching out and taking one for himself. He grabbed his own lighter out of his back pocket and lit it, savoring the sweet stress relief that menthol cigarette seemed to bring to his very core.

Merle chuckled as he watched Daryl throw his head back. "So, you Betty Crocker now or something? Or do you prefer Paula Dean?" He motioned to the deep fryer full of fish his brother was standing in front of.

"Shut the hell up." He grumbled. "I been living on my own since I was eighteen, been taking care of myself for a long ass time before then. You act like this is the first time I ever cooked. How the hell you think I survived before she moved in?"

"On fast food and cheap ass whenever you had an itch. And it seems like you were doing just fine back then. In fact, seems to me like your life was a hell of a lot less complicated before you started nailing your best friend's sister."

Daryl flicked his cherry off in the sink and narrowed his eyes on his brother. His voice grew low and gruff. "I'm doing just peachy now getting home cooked meals and a nice piece of ass on the regular. In fact, my life was just great until you came running your mouth and blabbed to Rick."

Merle snorted. "And what? You were just gonna fuck his sister in secret for the rest of your life? Keep telling yourself it means more than it does and let yourself feel all warm and cuddly inside? Get the fuck over yourself. I'm not sorry I told him. Now you can pull your head out of your ass and see it for what this really was. Some fling that gave you a cheap thrill because it was being done in secret."

"This ain't no damn fling." Daryl growled. "I meant what I said to Rick. She means something to me. I ain't ever felt this way before about no one Merle. But I do about her and it ain't got a damn thing to do with it being kept a secret or not." He pulled a long drag off of his cigarette and when he was done blowing it out he pointed a finger at Merle. "And it wasn't your place to tell him. Me and her were going to. It shouldn't have gone down like that. Not in front of everyone. Not him being caught off guard like that."

"I wouldn't have had to tell him if your ass would have manned up in the first place." Merle barked. "What? Did she take your balls too when you started fucking her? I raised you better than that. You own shit when you fuck up…or in this case fuck someone you shouldn't have no business fucking in the first place."

"You didn't fucking raise me." He spat. "You were gone half the damn time and I was by myself! And own up to shit?" What? Like you did with Andrea when you cheated on her and tried to blame all that alcohol you drank instead of admitting the fact that you ain't got a damn bit of self-control in the first fucking place?"

"Boy, this is the last damn time I'm gonna tell you, stop fucking bringing up me and Andrea." He growled, stepping closer to his younger brother. "And I'll tell you again like I already told you, let some girl try you up. You'll be in the same damn boat as I am. You ain't no better than me."

"Didn't you hear that conversation I had with Rick? I already could have got with someone else, she was all over me. And this was before I even knew Carol felt anything for me, too. I thought it was just fucking to her at that time. I didn't think she'd take me seriously or give it a shot. But I still couldn't damn do it. I knew how I felt about her and I knew it wasn't right. Don't tell what I would or wouldn't do and what I do and don't feel. Yeah, I lied to Rick and it was a shitty thing to do. And I'm gonna pay for it, I know I am. Hell, I already am. But you have no idea how I feel about this girl. What she means to me. And you ain't gotta like it or even try understand it, but you gotta accept it."

( **Sorry it's been a minute. I'll try really hard to get another chapter up in a day or two.)**


	64. Chapter 64

Rick had been pacing the floor in Michonne's studio apartment the last twenty minutes. She was surprised he hadn't worn a hole in the floor by now. He kept circling the same spot over and over, fists balled, chest heaving, jaw set. Muttering the same thing over and over again like he had been ever since they left the lake house.

"I just can't believe they'd do that. They looked me dead in the eye and they lied to me. Over and over and over again."

Michonne was sitting on her bed, eye's following him as he continued his rotation. The rapid pace he kept moving in was almost starting to make her dizzy.

Rick stopped briefly, turned to look at her, then sighed dramatically. "My best friend's been screwing my sister! Behind my back! I mean, do you know how many times they were probably doing it while I was only a few rooms away? I bet they sat there when they were done and laughed about it. I bet they, I bet they just laughed and laughed about how naïve I was. About how I was too dumb to realize what was going on in front of me. Right under my own damn nose!"

Michonne raised her brows and folded her arms over her chest as she studied Rick. She knew he was upset with Carol and Daryl. She knew he felt hurt, angry, and betrayed by them lying to his face. And to be honest, she knew he probably didn't too much like knowing they were together since he hadn't wanted that since before they even met. But a large part of her couldn't help but think that a lot the emotions he was feeling right now weren't completely directed at his sister and best friend.

She truly felt like a lot of his reaction was stemming from left over feelings of resentment and anger that were bottled up from the Lori and Shane fiasco. Like a deep, festering wound those feelings of his on that situation always seemed to be bubbling just below the surface. Ready to burst and spew out at any moment.

Despite the fact that she knew Rick loved her, he wasn't fully healed from what happened. And he might not be for a long time.

The similarities between the situations of being lied to by his sister and best friend and being lied to by his ex-girlfriend and former best friend seemed to be too much for him to take right now and she felt like that had a lot to do with his extreme reaction to finding out about those two. Sure, he had a right to be upset, no doubt. She wouldn't ever ague that. But she was still in disbelief over the fact that he punched Daryl for it, that he told Carol she was worse than Lori, and then told them both he never wanted to see them again.

Still, she'd been friends with him long enough before they started dating to know his quirks. To know how he responds in stressful situations. And she knew him well enough that know that now wasn't the time to call him out on the fact that he might have some misplaced anger going on. He was irate, and telling him that would only result in him getting mad at her and making this entire thing worse.

No, what Rick needed right now was someone to vent to. Someone he could express everything he was feeling to. Naturally, since she loved him, she was going to be that person for him. She'd stay calm, keep her mouth shut, and listen to whatever he needed to say.

For now, anyway.

Whenever he cooled down and had time to think things over she'd try to have a rational discussion with him. She'd try and get him to see that he needed to talk to both Daryl and Carol and that the three of them needed to smooth things over. After all, Carol was his sister. Daryl was his best friend. Both were his roommates. He couldn't hate them forever.

()()()

By the time Carol got back from her run she felt a lot more relaxed than she had been about the situation. She wasn't panicking and on the verge of tears anymore. Though she still had a strong urge to talk to her brother and try and fix this mess. But she knew Daryl was right. He needed time to cool off. He needed time to process all of this. When Rick was upset, he couldn't be reasoned with. The two of them were alike in that way she supposed. If they were angry with you then nothing you said or did was going to make that anger pass. They needed time to get over that on their own. Both were stubborn and bull-headed like that.

Daryl was finished frying those fish up by the time she got back. He'd even fried up that disgusting eel he'd pulled off the line of that jug in the lake. She didn't understand why he wanted to eat that thing. Thinking about it made her want to hurl.

The two of them sat at the kitchen table and ate in mostly silence. There was occasional small talk or the sound of someone asking for ketchup or salt and pepper to be passed. She hadn't heard Merle be that quiet since she met him a few days ago. No smart ass comments, no lewd remarks towards her, no giving Daryl shit about anything. It was un-settling to her how quiet he was being and she wondered what had gone one between the two of them while she was gone to make that happen.

She hated to think of Daryl and his own brother being at odds on top of everything going on with Rick. She even felt bad that things had almost seemed rocky between the brothers since he got there. And she knew that a lot of that had to do with her and how flirtatious Merle had been towards her.

Daryl was protective, maybe a little possessive even, she'd come to realize. Not in an over bearing way, really. Not in a way that she felt like he'd ever tell her what she could or couldn't do. But in a way that she knew if he ever saw any man get out of line with her that he'd be ready to break someone's jaw. It was clear to her that the very idea of any other man touching her, or even thinking about touching her, had him ready to become unhinged.

She had to admit, that feeling was mutual. If she saw some girl ogling him like that all weekend, saying things to him Merle had said to her right in front of him, she'd be ready to pull that girls hair out.

But now that she knew that Merle had figured out something was going on between them very early on, she was almost certain he'd been doing it on purpose the entire time to get a rise out of Daryl. Almost any time he'd made an off the wall comment of sent her a lecherous look, she'd noticed he'd always look over at Daryl and smirk. A gleam in his eye, as he waited for his brother's response. He'd wanted to get under Daryl's skin. That much she was sure of.

His brother seemed to have a knack for doing that with people in general from what she'd observed the last few days. Sometimes on purpose, others not so much, like when Rick had found him and that random girl in his bed Friday morning. And she had to admit, he got under her skin good, really good.

But as much as he annoyed her, as much as she wasn't sure she even liked him, she wanted to try and get along with him the rest of the time he was here. She wanted Daryl to get to enjoy spending some time with his brother since he didn't see him often, and she wanted him to have a somewhat decent birthday, despite the fact that Rick hated them both right now. So, she decided to try and play nice with him the next few days.

After dinner the silence continued and the three of them settled into the living room to watch some show. It had these naked people on it, but their "private parts" were blurred out. They were out in the wilderness and the object was to survive for a certain period of time with limited resources and no clothes. She'd watched it with Daryl a few times before, though she couldn't recall the name of it. He was always coming up with ideas for what the people should have done in that situation and telling her what he would have done.

Merle was making similar comments as they watched right now and the brothers were sharing ideas about what they'd do and how they'd survive. She was glad to see them talking, even though she could still feel an unspoken tension between them.

She had to admit, both brothers would likely do just fine in a situation like that. From what she knew about how they'd grown up, some of those places sound like they'd be a cake walk to them. She, however, wasn't so sure how she'd fare butt ass naked in the wild. Living off of rats and snakes and whatever the hell you could get your hands on.

She felt her eyelids growing heavy as they continued to watch the show. The weight of today's mental exhaustion weighing heavily on her. She let out a yawn and nestled her head into the crook of Daryl's neck. Pulling her feet up off from where they'd been planted on the floor and bringing them up near her chest.

"You sleepy?" Daryl asked in a husky voice.

She nodded against his skin. "It's been a long day."

"Yeah." He muttered. "It has."

She picked her head up and kissed him on the cheek. "I think I'm gonna go to bed. Would it…would it be alright if I slept in your room tonight? I don't think Rick's coming home, and even if he did….well, he kinda knows now anyway." She added, a hint of sadness in her tone.

"You know you ain't gotta ask me that. Go on ahead, I'll be in there in a little bit."

She moved to stand up, pausing to look at Merle, who was stretched out in the recliner, before she went to walk to Daryl's room. "You can, uh, you can sleep in my room tonight if you want. Figure you're getting tired of sleeping on couches. I know ours is better than the one at the lake house, but still. I figure you're ready for a bed."

Merle looked at her strangely. He nodded slightly. "Thank you, darling. My damn neck and back sure are killing me from that raggedy ass thing."

She turned and started towards Daryl's room, but paused again, placing her hand on the entrance to the hallway. She glanced over her shoulder. "Hey, Merle?"

"Yeah?"

"No fucking random bitches in my bed. It's just for sleeping."

He smirked at her. "Yes ma'am. I'll just take your brother's room again if I get another itch while I'm here."

()()()

"Can I get one of your cigarettes?" Daryl asked Merle once the episode they'd been watching was over. "I'm out and I don't feel like running to the store."

Merle nodded. He reached into his pockets for his pack and then pulled one out for the both of them.

Daryl watched as Merle was about to light his up. "Nah, not in here. Outside, man. Rick really don't like that shit. I don't smoke in here often. Our landlord would shit a brick if he knew I ever did. We'd lose our security deposit."

Merle grumbled, but stood up and followed his brother out onto the front porch. They had a seat on that swing Carol had bought.

"What time you work tomorrow?" Merle inquired, between drags.

"Reckon I don't gotta be in until after 12, like usual. Told Hershel I don't wanna work full-time while I'm out for summer until next week. Wanted a little break. Some time to sleep in. But somebody's gotta take Carol. Rick normally gives her a ride in the morning, but I doubt he comes home tonight. Hell, even if he did, he's so pissed I doubt he'd give her a ride. Might as well work all day if I gotta be up that early all week."

"How bout you drop her off at work then the two of us go hunting before you gotta go in?"

Daryl eyed him and chuckled. "Why you gonna shoot me or something?"

Merle let out a laugh of his own. "I probably should. Right in the damn dick. Might knock some sense into you."

"Merle…." He groaned.

"Alright, alright. I ain't gonna start in on you again. Now can we go hunting or not? Whole damn time I've been here I feel like you ain't wanted me around. I mean, I get it now. You didn't want me bursting your little bubble or whatever. But I figured we might as well hang out a little bit while I'm here. You obviously ain't gonna go out chasing tail with me now that you put yourself on lockdown. Figured hunting is the next best thing."

"Ain't that I don't want you here." He replied, flicking his cherry onto the concrete porch below them. "Like I said, it was just bad timing. Finals. Me and Carol and Rick." He sighed and ran his free hand through his hair. "And I feel like there's a reason you're here that you ain't telling me. You never just stop by un-announced. You never just stop by period unless your passing through this way for some job or you're on vacation from work. If you're in trouble or need money or something, just tell me. I got a little cash put back. I can help you out if you need me to."

"I told you!" He huffed. "I just wanted to come see you for your twenty-first birthday, damn it! Can you stop trying to make it more than it is?"

"Alright." He deadpanned. He still felt like Merle was keeping something from him, but whatever it was, his brother didn't wanna talk about it just yet.

()()()

Merle went inside after he finished his smoke, but Daryl bummed another from his brother and stayed on the porch. He pulled out his phone and tried to call Rick, but the phone just went straight to voicemail like it had when Carol tried to call earlier. He grunted in frustration and then dialed Michonne's number.

After a few rings, her voice filled the other end of the line. "Hello?"

He brushed his fingers up and down over his jeans, eventually catching a loose thread and occupying his fingers with it, twirling it about. "Hey, it's me. Rick with you?"

"Yeah, he is. But he's asleep. Knocked out about ten minutes. Probably from exhaustion from the damn circles he's been cutting in my floor."

"Figured he was with you. Ain't nowhere else he would've gone. Except maybe his parents. But he's got work. So…"

"Yeah." Michonne added. "He didn't wanna go home. I told him he could hang out here a few days if he needed to."

Daryl sighed deeply. "He's pretty fucking pissed at us, huh?"

"Well, he isn't happy." She chuckled. "Please tell me you weren't expecting him to hug you and welcome you into the family?"

Daryl rubbed his hand over his swollen lip. "Nah, wasn't expecting nothing like that at all. Just wasn't expecting to be fucking decked in the face either." He paused. "I know he has a right to be pissed, Michonne, but part of him was in the wrong to begin with. I NEVER would have lied to him if he hadn't of acted so crazy about the idea of anything between us to being with. It ain't no excuse, really, but it's the best one I can offer him."

Michonne glanced over her shoulder where Rick was fast asleep on her bed. She covered the end of her phone and walked towards her bathroom, shutting the door quietly behind her. "I know." She whispered. "I'm in no way excusing what you two did, but I do agree that Rick had no business telling two adults what they could and couldn't do in the first place. Don't for a second think that means I'm taking your side, Dixon." She pointed her finger sternly, as if she thought he could see her. "Because I'm not. You did do wrong. But I also think his reaction was a bit much. And when he cools down I'm planning on talking to him and hopefully getting him to come to you guys and work this out." Her voice softened. "He might be angry, but he'd be a fool to not see how much you cared about his sister. And that's all he wanted from the get go. To protect her from getting hurt again. And I really don't think you'd do anything to hurt her, Daryl."

"I wouldn't. I swear."

"I know. Listen, I know you and Carol wanna fix this. That you want the three of you to be okay, but it's just gonna take some time. You know how Rick is. Just lay low for a few days. Stay out of his way. I'll work on him for you in the meantime."

"Thanks, Michonne. I really appreciate it."

"You're welcome. But consider it your one time pass from me for being a total shit head. Don't ever lie to him like this again, Daryl. Either of you. I might understand where you were coming from, but you know what he's been through. This is gonna leave a bad taste in his mouth."

"I know. You know I ain't normally like that. I ain't a damn liar. I just…She's just…"

"You're in love with her." She couldn't hide the smile in her voice. "I know. Love makes people do incredibly stupid things. Never thought I'd see the day, but it does look good on you. Just don't screw it up. Rick really won't ever forgive you if you do."

"Ain't planning on it. Trust me. I'd never forgive myself and I'd let Rick hit me again willingly. Goodnight, Michonne. See you at work."

"Night, Dixon."

()()()

The next morning Carol's phone alarm started blaring loudly from Daryl's night stand, signaling it was time to start her day. She groaned as she grabbed the phone and hit snooze, deciding she wasn't feeling her usual morning run and that she rather get a little extra sleep in. She scanned the phone to check for any messages from Rick and to see if he'd tried to call her back, but there was nothing. She felt disappointed, but set the phone back down on the night stand and went to settle back into bed.

Daryl's warm body was pressed flush against hers, his arm lazily draped over her side. She felt his grip tighten and him pull her closer against his bare chest. When he pressed a kiss against the back of her neck she let out a satisfied grunt. She let herself drift off for the next thirty minutes, pretending that everything was right in the world, because that's how he made her feel when he held her like that.

When she finally woke up again after her second alarm went off she didn't bother to wake him just yet. She got her shower, made something to eat for the two of them plus Merle, then peeped through their blinds to see if maybe, by chance, Rick finally decided to come home last night. She wasn't all too surprised to see his car wasn't there.

She decided to go wake Daryl up since she had to be at work soon, but when she went in his room she found he was already awake, sitting on the edge of the bed in only his boxer briefs. If she was in a more jovial mood the sight would have been enough to have her wanting to sneak in a quickie before work, but she was still kinda down about everything. "Morning." She muttered, taking a seat beside him. "Breakfast is ready if you want some."

He yawned out a thank you.

"Rick didn't come home." She told him.

"I know. Called Michonne last night. She said he's gonna stay there a few days. Thinks he needs time to cool off."

"What else did she say?" Carol asked, with a hint of nervousness.

"Not much. He's pissed, but we knew that." He saw her eyes fall. "She's gonna talk to him when he's calmer about all of this shit. Try and get him to come talk to us. She ain't on our side, but she gets where we were coming from. You know?"

Carol brushed her thumb under his swollen lip. She frowned with how much angrier it seemed to look this morning. "I feel awful for keeping it from him, for hurting his feelings, but I can't believe he hit you. You didn't deserve that."

He shrugged her assessment off. "Ain't like I it's the first time I've ever been hit. Probably won't be the last. I've had way worse than this."

She shook her head at that and bit her bottom lip. "That's exactly my point." She replied, a bit of edge to her voice. "He shouldn't have put his hands on you. Not after everything you've ever been through in your life."

"Hell, he was mad and he hit me. It is what it is. He don't know about how I grew up, not really. He knows my mom took off when I was young, he knows my dad's an ass wipe I don't go see, but he don't know all the shit that happened to me. I ain't never told no one but you that. Hershel, he kinda filled in some blanks I think, because his old man was just like mine, but somebody like Rick, somebody that ain't been there…they don't put those pieces together as easy."

"But what about your…" She paused and rubbed his back. Not wanting to say it out loud, because he'd never fully even admitted to her what type of cruelty was used to inflict those. He seemed so ashamed of them. She'd seen Daryl walk around shirtless in front of Rick before. She couldn't imagine her brother never being curious about those rough, jagged scars.

"Told him I feel out of a two story barn when I was little. Onto some glass and shit. He bought it and never asked me about it again."

She rubbed her hand up and down his back. "He still shouldn't have hit you. I don't like it. You've been in two fights already because of me."

"Well, you're worth all the trouble. Guess there's a price to pay for the best sex I ever had." He smirked at her, trying to lighten the mood.

And it worked, because it earned him a quiet laugh. "Go on and get dressed so you can take me to me to work, Romeo."

He hopped up and walked over to his closet, sliding on a shirt. "Merle awake? I'm supposed to go hunting with him after I drop you off."

"No. I don't think so. My door was still shut and I'm not just gonna pop in on him without warning." She eyed Daryl's crotch. "That's the only little Dixon I wanna be seeing."

"Hey, you're gonna hurt his feelings calling him little like that." He tried to sound offended as he slid on a pair of shorts.

"Oh, hush." She rolled her eyes. "You know, I'm glad you're going hunting with your brother. I was starting to feel bad since you two have kinda butted heads since he got here. I felt like it was my fault and I don't wanna get between you two."

"Nah, that ain't nothing to do with you."

She looked at him skeptically.

"I mean, yeah he aggravated me flirting with you and all and looking at you like he was, but that ain't the only reason he's been getting on my nerves. I know my brother and he ain't just here for my birthday like he said. There's something else going on that he ain't telling me. And it's just got me a little on edge. Knowing Merle, there ain't no telling what it could be, but I know it can't be good."

()()()

Merle was awake and ready to go hunting by the time Daryl got back from dropping Carol off at work that morning. The two of them rode in Merle's truck out to Hershel's property and Daryl was surprised to see Beth's car at home. Though they were out for summer break from college, high school was still in session.

He wondered if Maggie and Shawn had confronted her about that pregnancy test yet. If she had, he wasn't looking forward to going to work later. Hershel was going to blow a gasket when he found out. The man was going to be beyond pissed. As much Daryl cared for Hershel, he hated days when he came to work with a chip on his shoulder. It rarely happened, but when it did, those days were living hell. He wasn't really in the mood for a day like that with everything else he had going on.

He tried not to think about what his day may or may not end up like as he reached into the back on the truck for his shotguns. No sense in dwelling on it until he knew for sure what was gonna be waiting on him when he clocked in.

The two headed out in the woods, though Daryl wasn't really expecting to get much. It was Turkey season, but he'd never really seen too many out in Hershel's woods. He knew Merle didn't give a shit what season it was and that he'd shoot whatever crossed his path. They might end up bagging a deer because of that. At the least some squirrels. But he wasn't expecting to go home with anything.

After an hour of not seeing anything other than a few birds and squirrels, Daryl started feeling a little restless. A question had been gnawing at his mind for the last thirty minutes now and he figured that now was just a good a time as any to spit it out.

He stopped in his tracks, a branch crunching beneath his boots. Merle was a few feet ahead of him and turned back around to look at him. "You see something?"

"Nah, I just. I need to know something."

"And what's that?"

He tugged at his bottom lip. "Why don't you like Carol? Why don't you want me with her?"

"Never said I didn't like her." He replied, simply. "She's a hell of a cook. She's pretty. Spunky little gal. Let me sleep in her bed last night. I like her just fine." He turned around and moved to walk forward.

"If you fucking like her then what was all that shit you were saying last night?" He demanded.

Merle turned to face his brother again and washed his hand over his face. "I ain't getting into all that shit. You're just gonna get your tail feathers ruffled. Come on, let's just hunt little brother."

His voice was firm, but not hateful. "Nah, not until you tell me. I wanna know, Merle."

His eyes darted to the pine straw covered ground, then met his brother's. "I ain't saying this shit to be mean, so don't you go starting in on me. You hear me? I'm saying this because I think it's the truth. Because I've seen that shit a million times. Walked the damn road myself." He paused and rubbed his temples before continuing. "She just broke up with her boyfriend, Daryl. She was with him four fucking years. They lived together for fuck's sake. Then she runs and jumps on your dick because you're the closest thing around to make her feel better. You ain't nothing but a re-bound to her. You fell in love with somebody that's licking their wounds, but when they're all better, you best believe she ain't gonna need your ass no more. And where's that leave you? Without your best damn friend and with your heart broken into a million damn pieces. That's where. I don't want that for you? Okay?" He barked. "I don't wanna see you get hurt, damn it."

He pursed his lips and shook his head adamantly. "You're wrong. It ain't like that."

"Daryl…"

"No! Alright? NO! I'm telling you, Merle, it just ain't like that with us. This is real. For her and for me."

Merle looked at his younger brother, sincerity etched in his big blue eyes. "I hope you're right, little brother. For your sake, I really do."

 **I know you guys are probably wanting to see them interact with Rick again, I promise that's coming. It really is. I just need to touch on some stuff and thangs first. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	65. Chapter 65

Carol heard the door from treatment to the reception desk being opened and noticed Tara walking in. She smiled at her. "Good morning. Did you and Denise have a good weekend? We missed you guys at the lake."

"We did." Tara offered, returning her smile.

Carol raised her brows. "I take it meeting her family and the birthday party went well then?"

"It did!" She beamed. "Her niece is too adorable. So? What'd I miss at the lake this weekend?" Tara asked as she clocked into work and took her usual seat at the reception desk beside Carol.

"Hmmm? Let's see? Swimming, drunken never have I ever, tubing, volleyball, Merle being…well, Merle, playing chicken." She paused, sucked in a breath, and shook her head. "Rick finding out I've been screwing around with Daryl behind his back for a month now and lying to his face about it." She intentionally left out the part about Merle finding a positive pregnancy test that more than likely belonged to Beth. She wasn't sure Hershel knew yet and the less people that knew before him, the better. She wished she didn't even know.

Tara's eyes became as wide as saucers and she squealed. "I knew it! I knew you two were boning. I told Annette something was going on with you two. I saw the way he looked at you. I've never seen him look at anyone like that before! Little Daryl's in love!"

Carol glanced up at the few clients who were already in the room. Their ears seemed to have perked up at Tara's outburst and now their eyes were expectantly aimed towards the counter. "Tara." She scolded.

"Sorry." She whispered. "This is just unbelievable. It's huge. I'm really happy for you two." She saw the weary look on Carol's face and her enthusiasm faltered. "I mean, I should be happy, right? This is a good thing? You two really like each other don't you?"

She smiled faintly. "Yes, of course we do. We're both crazy about each other. But, Rick, he's really pissed at both of us. He punched Daryl! He said he never wants to see us again. I just…I don't know what to do Tara."

Tara reached over and rubbed Carol's arm. "Damn. Rock, hard place, and you, huh?"

"Yeah. Pretty much." She sighed. "Michonne thinks he'll cool down in a few days and we can try to talk to him again. I really hope she's right. But…I don't know. I know my brother and when he gets something in his head….it's hard to get it out. I'm not sure he's going to feel very forgiving any time soon."

"You could always remind him it could have been worse. Try and make him appreciate the good in this situation"

"How could it have been worse? The only way I can see it being any worse than it was is if he walked in on us."

"He could've found out you were doing Michonne behind his back and lying about it." She smirked.

()()()

Daryl clocked into work just as Carol was about to leave for her lunch break. She walked over to the computer he was at and stopped to talk to him. "How'd hunting with Merle go?"

"It went alright. We got a few rabbits. A couple of squirrels. Nothing big."

She brushed her hand over his forearm. Something about his voice sounded off. "Did you two get into an argument or something."

"Nah, we didn't. Why you think that?"

"I don't know…you just sound…..different than normal."

The sound of whistling filled the room and Maggie walked through the surgery door. "Dixon." Maggie called out, "get your ass back here, daddy needs your help."

"Coming." He replied. He turned his attention back to Carol. "Gotta get to work. Have fun at lunch."

She swallowed hard and nodded, an overwhelming sense of something not being right encompassing her.

As she went to walk away, Daryl reached out and caught her arm. He dipped his head down and brushed a quick kiss across her lips. "See you in a bit."

A small amount of relief seemed to fill her at his gesture. Maybe he was just on edge about the whole Rick ordeal. She shouldn't be getting so worked up and thinking the worst for no reason.

()()()

"What do you need me to do, doc?" Daryl asked as he popped into surgery.

Hershel had been stitching up a dog on the table, but stopped what he was doing to glance up in Daryl's direction once he walked into the room. When he saw the boy he raised his eyebrows. "What in God's name happened to your lip?"

"Rick Grimes. That's what." He muttered, walking over to the sink and instinctively scrubbing up. When he was done he noticed Hershel shooting him a curious look. "It's a long story. He found out about me and Carol before we worked around to telling him. And he wasn't too happy about it."

"Obviously not." Hershel chuckled, returning his attention to his patient and finishing the sutures he'd been working on. "Don't worry too much about it. It's like we talked about before, he'll get over it. Just give him some time. Why don't you go get the next one out of the surgery bank for me and knock it out? It's just a neuter. I'll even let you handle it yourself if you want to."

Daryl did as he said and grabbed the next patient, a rather large orange cat named buttons, from the surgery bank. He scratched it under its chin before administering the shot that would sedate it. "Sorry bud, he's making me chop them off. Nothing personal."

When the cat was sedated he did a quick shaved down and sanitized the area. He'd done a few cat neuters before. The procedure was relatively simple. But Hershel was always there to supervise and make sure he didn't make any mistakes.

"Sometimes I wish I could neuter people." Hershel commented, as Daryl was putting making his incision on the animal.

He paused what he was doing and eyed Hershel curiously. He wondered if he was referring to Beth's boyfriend. If he was, the man sure as hell handled the news better than he had thought he would.

"Relax." Hershel chuckled, patting the boy on the back lightly. "I wasn't talking about you. Though, I'm sure there are plenty of girl's father's who'd want to if they knew you. Hell, probably even Rick right now."

Daryl let out a feigned laugh. That probably wasn't far from the truth at the moment. He was thankful Rick had never worked at the clinic and learned surgery techniques. He tentatively went to work cutting where he needed to and removing what he needed to before he started the process of suturing the incision closed with one stitch. When he was finished, he placed the cat in a cage in treatment where it would be monitored until recovery. He washed up again while Hershel was prepping another animal for surgery. "Oh, by the way, just wanted to let you know my brother and I went out on your property to do some hunting this morning. In case you had any more trail cameras up snapping my picture."

"I suppose I won't have to worry about finding juicy pictures of you and Merle curled up on my dock. You know? I should have black mailed you and Carol with that. I could've gotten a few weeks of free labor from you both."

"Hey, that's illegal."

"So is trespassing." He teased.

Daryl shook his head at him. "You need me in here for anything else or you want me to start making rounds in treatment?"

"No, no. I think I can handle this one myself. You go on ahead and get a few ready for me to see when I'm done here."

He nodded and headed to leave.

"Son?" Hershel called out.

"Yeah?"

"Was Beth's car still at home when you were there? She was throwing up this morning. We told her she didn't have to go to her first class and if she wasn't feeling better she could stay home all day. I tried to call her, but didn't get an answer earlier. I hope she isn't getting a virus. She didn't have a fever."

So she hadn't told her parents yet and Maggie and Shawn hadn't snitched her out. He didn't like knowing something Hershel didn't. Not something this big. "It was there when we got there and when we left. I best get to work. You ain't paying me for nothing." He zipped out of the room to make sure his face didn't let on to the fact that he knew that there was more going on with his teenage daughter than some virus."

()()()

Later in the day when Hershel was up front working with a client in the lobby and it was just Daryl back in treatment with Maggie he decided to broach the subject of her younger sister. "You didn't tell your dad what Merle found at the lake house?"

She met Daryl's eyes, a troubled look reflecting in her own. "No. We didn't. Not yet. Shawn and I talked to her, though. It was hers and she is. Annette told me she was sick this morning. Puking. They think she's got a virus or just ate something wrong."

Daryl stayed quiet a moment to make sure he didn't hear footsteps approaching. "She gonna keep it?"

Maggie pressed her lips together and nodded. "Jimmy wants to marry her. She wants to marry him. She thinks they're gonna live happily ever after. She's so naïve. She doesn't have any idea how hard this is gonna be. It's gonna break daddy's heart. She's the baby. She's always gotten away with so much more than me and Shawn ever did. If he'd have been half as strict on her as he was on me this wouldn't have happened."

"My parents got married at 17. My mom was pregnant with Merle. That shit was a train wreck waiting to fucking de-rail."

"I've never heard you talk about your parents before." Maggie mused, quite surprised he'd mentioned them at all.

"Ain't got much to say about them." He shrugged.

"Do you talk to Carol about them?"

"I have before. More so than I've talked to anyone about them I guess."

"She's good for you. I've noticed a change in you this past month or so. A really positive one."

"Tell Rick that." He muttered. "And Merle."

"I will." She asserted. "Anyone can see a difference in you, Daryl. Anyone. And I didn't know her long before something happened between you two, but I can see a difference in her, too, compared to when she was first here. That's why I've always been so supportive of you two. I've been rooting for you since that night at the pool hall."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

He raked his teeth over his bottom lip and shifted on the balls of his feet. "Can I ask you something?"

"I suppose you can." She smirked.

"You and Glenn, you hadn't broken up with your high school boyfriend for long when you got together, right?"

"Not all that long ago. A few months maybe."

He brought his thumb up to the side of his lip and started chewing at his cuticle. "Did you have some…rebound guy before you met Glenn?"

"There was another guy or two before Glenn. Just flings that I'd met at a couple of parties freshman year." She carefully admitted. "Why do you ask?"

His face fell, but he quickly tried to school his features and hide any emotion he might be displaying. "Nothing. Just wondering."

Maggie detected the shift in his mood. "Those were flings, Daryl. Just one night flings. Nothing like you and Carol have. When I met Glenn, that's all he was gonna be, too. I was just gonna sleep with him, but it was more than that for both us ever since that first night. Just like it was for you two. It doesn't matter that there wasn't a guy in-between Ed and you. It doesn't make how she feels about you mean anything less."

()()()

The rest of the work day went over smoothly and Daryl tried like hell to push the words Merle had said to him earlier from his mind and replace them with what Maggie had said. He hadn't let Merle know his words had rocked him so. He wouldn't ever let him know they got to him. If Merle knew he was inside your head he'd use it to finish tearing you the rest of the way down. Like a shark that smelled blood.

And he'd meant what he said to Merle out in the woods. What he felt for Carol was real. What she felt for him, she said it was real, too. And he believed her. He really did. She'd waited to tell him she loved him until she was sure she felt it. She'd waited to make them "official" until she felt like they were going to work out. She wouldn't have done all that if she didn't care about him.

What the fuck did Merle know, anyway? He didn't know Carol. How could he jump in and assume he had a damn clue about their relationship?

He let himself push those seeds of doubt Merle had tried to plant out of his head. He had enough shit going on with Rick still not answering calls from either of them. He didn't need anything else brewing.

Over dinner, he thought maybe the assertiveness he'd taken with Merle out in the woods had done some good. Because he and Carol ended up getting along pretty well over dinner. They even had a decent conversation that didn't include her being catty with him or him making some sexist comment towards her.

She talked to him about where all he'd lived in Georgia over the last several years and what kinds of jobs he'd gone. And he asked her what New York was like and what she planned to go back to school for. If Daryl didn't know better, he'd have thought someone drugged his brother. But he wasn't going to complain about having a peaceful evening. He fucking needed it. He wasn't as sure as other people seemed to be that his second conversation with Rick was going to go over any better than the first and he would take having a few calm days at home before dealing with all of that again.

She was laying her head on his chest that night as they laid in bed. He was letting his finger lazily graze over her stomach where her tank top had ridden up. She usually didn't wear clothes to bed when they slept together, but she didn't trust Merle to be as courteous as Rick and knock before entering and she didn't want him to walk in and see her naked.

"That tickles." She giggled, moving her head off of him and onto the pillow, shifting where he was no longer able to run his fingertips over her bare skin.

He rolled over on his side, resting his hand on her hip, and gazing into her eyes. Searching those crystal blue orbs. For what, he wasn't even sure.

"What are you thinking about?" She brushed the hair out of his eyes.

"Just looking at your eyes."

"I get that much. But why? What's on your mind, Daryl?"

"Maybe I just like to look at them. They're pretty."

She smiled at that, but the sinking feeling she'd had earlier when his voice sounded off started seeping back in and her heart thudded a little beneath her chest as worry filled her core. "Are you sure nothing else is on your mind? Because if there is, we should talk about it. We _can_ talk about." She insisted.

He didn't wanna hurt her feelings by telling her Merle thought he was just some rebound to her. He didn't wanna offend her by telling her that for a brief second that the thought that he might be had crossed his mind and it scared the hell out of him. But part of him needed her reassurance for what she felt for him. Thinking of her leaving him someday was terrified him. He needed her to tell him she loved him. That she wasn't going anywhere like almost everyone else in life always had. But before he could bring up any of his fears, which deep down he knew weren't rationale, his phone rang.

It was late and his first thought was that maybe Rick finally decided to talk to one of them, or Hershel might have had an emergency at the clinic, but when he picked up the phone he was surprised to see Maggie's number flashing on the caller ID.

"What's up?" He asked. He felt his heart sink into his stomach as her tear filled voice filled him in from the other end of the line. "I'm on the way." He mumbled before he ended the call and slowly put the phone down on his bed.

"Daryl? Daryl? What's wrong?" Carol asked, her own voice full of panic. All color had drained from his face and she could swear she saw tears threatening to spill from the corner of his eyes.

He forced himself to take three calming breaths and swallowed, his saliva thick and sticky. "Hershel.." His voice threatened to crack and he cleared his throat so he could steady it. "Maggie said Hershel found out about Beth being knocked up. She and Jimmy told him tonight and told him they wanted to get married. Annette said he, uh, he clutched his chest, started breathing heavy, then passed out. The ambulance came and got him and he's on his way to the hospital."


	66. Chapter 66

Daryl lunged off of his bike after he'd barely gotten the kick stand down and bolted for the emergency room door. Carol running in pace right behind him. He frantically made his way to the check-in station. "I need to check on Hershel Greene. Is he here? How is? Is he gonna be alright? Someone tell me he's okay." He was talking so fast he could barely comprehend the words coming out of his own mouth. He knew he must sound like a panicked client when their pet came in hurt or injured and they begging for an update before you'd even had a chance to evaluate their animal, but this was Hershel. The man was a father figure to him. He'd treated him ten times better than his own daddy ever had.

"Are you family, sir?" The woman asked, her voice trying to sound as calm and soothing as possible.

"I'm…..I….I'm…." He shook his head. " I just need you to tell me how he is, please?" He begged, his voice growing strained. He felt Carol run a comforting hand up and down his back.

Carol looked at the woman, trying to convey how important it was that they know something about Hershel's condition. Her voice was soft as she met the woman's eyes. "This man's a very important part of his life. Please, can't you tell us something?"

"I understand," She offered, sounded sympathetic, yet resolute. "But if neither of you is family.."

"Daryl! Carol!" Maggie yelled between tears, as she unexpectedly and rather quickly emerged from the door that led back to the actual E.R. rooms.

They rushed over to her and Carol pulled her into a warm embrace. She could feel the dampness of Maggie's tears forming against her cheek and she wrapped her arms around her tighter.

Daryl started chewing his thumb. "Do they know anything yet?"

Maggie looked up to Daryl and broke the embrace Carol held her in to wipe her eyes and compose herself. "No, not yet. Someone should be out to talk to us soon. They're running some tests. Annette said they were in the dining room when it happened. He hit his head on the oak table pretty hard when he passed out." She nodded towards the door. "Everyone else is back here. Come with me."

"Only family is allowed back there." The woman behind the aggressively announced from her station.

"Daryl _is_ family." Maggie turned her attention to the woman behind the counter and shot her a challenging look. "And Carol's with him and that makes her family, too."

()()()

Maggie ushered them to an area behind the door with a long, white bench where Annette, Shawn, Glenn, Beth and Jimmy were anxiously waiting to her about Hershel's condition. They hugged each member of the family, starting with Annette and working their way down to Jimmy. Thick silence filled the room as they waited.

Carol watched Daryl as he'd switch from sitting beside her feverishly shaking his leg, to pacing the floors like his feet were on fire every few minutes. She wished there was something she could do for him and the rest of Hershel's family.

He hadn't been her boss very long, but she thought a lot of the man and didn't want anything to happen to him. He was a wonderful father to his kids, an excellent boss, a doting husband, wonderful veterinarian, compassionate person in general, and he was the closest thing to a loving parent Daryl had ever had. She couldn't imagine the impact it would have on him if he lost him and that relationship they shared.

When he finally sat down beside her again he had his hands facing palms down on the bench. She reached over and covered his hand with hers. When he looked over at her she brushed his shaggy bangs out of his eyes. "Wish there was more I could say and do for everyone. But I just want you to know I'm here and whatever I can do…..just tell me and I'll do it."

He spread his fingers apart then linked them with hers. "Just glad you're here with me." When he looked up a sandy haired man with glasses in a white coat was approaching. He had a clip board in one hand he seemed to be scanning over and repetitively mumbling something to himself.

"Hell, I'm Dr. Mammoth, the man announced tenderly. He scanned the row of eight people sitting on the bench. "You must be the Greene family."

Maggie wasn't feeling the patience for his polite chit chat. "How's my father? Did he have a heart attack?" Glenn squeezed her hand tightly, as everyone seemed to hold their breath and waited for the doctor's answer

He smiled lightly, not paying any mind to the demanding tone in her voice.. "Your father's fine. He actually didn't have a heart attack at all."

"Then what happened to my husband? His chest was hurting and he passed out. If it wasn't a heart attack what was it then?" Annette wondered aloud, her voice didn't sound like she quite believed the doctor's diagnosis.

"Ma'am." He reached out and toucher her shoulder. "Your husband had a panic attack. A pretty severe one at that?"

"A panic attack?" Shawn sounded perplexed. "He's never had anything like that happen before."

"Yes, well." Dr. Mammoth glanced down at the clipboard. "When he came to he told us he just received some very distressing news." He glanced at Annette. "Your youngest daughter is expecting, correct?"

"She is." She wearily confirmed. "He'd just gotten the news when his symptoms started…We both had."

"That was just his body's way of dealing with it. Fortunately, there shouldn't be any lasting damage. His heart is strong as an ox. He did, however, receive a minor concussion when his head connected with that table. I also had to put two sutures in to stop the bleeding from the small wound it created. We wanna keep him over night just for observations. But other than that, your husband and father should be fine."

Carol squeezed Daryl's hand and smiled. He smiled back at her then looked at the doctor. "Can we see him tonight?"

()()()

Annette went in first, then Maggie and Glenn, then Beth. The doctor advised Jimmy to keep his distance for now. He didn't wanna cause any more stress for Hershel and possibly trigger another panic attack tonight. Next Shawn had gone in to visit, then finally, Daryl and Carol.

Daryl had to bite down on his lip when he walked in that room and saw Hershel hooked up to those IV's. He knew he was going to be fine, but the thought of how serious things could have been was still lingering fresh in his mind. Carol was holding his hand and he tightened his grip for an extra measure of comfort to himself. "You scared the piss out of me, old man." Daryl told Hershel, as he walked beside the hospital bed the man was laying in.

Hershel grinned up at him. "You know you weren't getting rid of me that easy. I've still gotta watch you take over my practice one day. And I've still got a lot to teach you before then. You won't make much money if the only surgery you can do is cat neuters."

Daryl chucked. He'd told that man a hundred times he wasn't going to school to be a vet. And each time Hershel would go on and on with reasons why he should apply. He wasn't going to argue with him over the fact right now, though. "Guess you can start teaching me to amputate limbs bright and early tomorrow morning then."

"I would if I could." He sighed, then pulled at the IV in his arm. "They're keeping me here until tomorrow. And they don't want me to work the rest of the week because of the concussion."

"You closing the clinic?" Daryl muttered in surprise. Hershel hadn't even closed the place down the previous winter when they got two inches of snow and everywhere else in a twenty-mile radius closed up shop. All the grocery stores had sold out of canned goods, milk, bread, and batteries. You'd' have thought it was a damn apocalypse or something. Like no one had ever seen a little snow before.

"I think I am. After all, if I expect my clients to follow my orders then I may as well follow my doctor's. My head and heart wouldn't be in it this week anyway, and that's a dangerous thing when someone's trusting a loved one's life with you."

"Sorry about…" He paused to choose his words carefully. "The fact you're gonna be a grandpa earlier than you were expecting." That had to sound better than saying what he'd almost said, which was sorry that dumbass knocked your little girl up."

"Part of me wants to kill the little shit, but part of me blames myself. He came from a good, church going family. He wore that purity ring he got at Sunday School. Beth had one, too. I should've been more suspicious. I should've kept my eye on them better. I never would've left Maggie alone with a boy at her age the way I did Beth. I never would have let them be all over each other the way I did those two. Beth was just always so…innocent and child-like. I didn't think I had anything to worry about."

Daryl shrugged. "People wanna fuck bad enough and they'll find a place to do it. Ain't your fault. It is what it is now." He felt Carol grip his hand painfully tight. "Ow. What's that for?"

She nodded to Hershel and gave him a stern look, as if he should've known better.

Hershel chuckled at them. "It's alright, Carol. He's right. It is what it is now. I can't change it." He grinned at her mischievously. "It was nice of you to come check on me, by the way. Did you wanna make sure you'd still be getting a regular paycheck?"

She played along with him. "Yeah, that's exactly right. I was gonna go start putting in job applications as soon as we left if you kicked over."

"A business woman, I like that." He winked. "See, Daryl? You can be the doctor and she can do all of the real work behind the scenes."

"Kinda like you and Annette?" He quipped.

Hershel didn't take the bait and run with it and try and rib him back, instead he nodded solemnly. "Exactly like us."

Things grew quiet and Carol decided to speak up. "I'm really glad you're okay, Hershel. Paycheck or no paycheck, we need you around."

"Thank you, dear. And I see you finally learned you don't have to call me Dr. Greene all the time."

Her eyes danced. "Shawn said I could call you Santa Clause."

"Watch it now." He warned.

A nurse interrupted when she opened the door. She was coming by to do her rounds for the night. She was probably in her mid-thirties, a heavy set woman with short, brown hair cut a little below her chin. "Dr. Greene, you're quite the popular patient. I think you'll get an award for most visitors in a night." She checked his IV and asked him a few routine questions. When she was finished she smiled down at him. "Which one are your kids and which one are their partners? There's a whole fleet out here."

"Well, the pretty older woman, she's my wife. The younger blond girl, that's Bethy. My youngest." His voice stiffened. "The tall, gangly kid with her is Jimmy. I suppose he'll be my son-in -law someday. The pretty brunette, that's my oldest girl, Maggie. The Asian is her boyfriend, Glenn. I actually like him. Then the boy with jet black hair and all the tattoo's is my son, Shawn." He motioned to where Daryl and Carol were. They'd moved over and leaned against the wall to give the nurse room to work. "That's my boy, Daryl. And the pretty girl on his arm is his girlfriend. She's the first girlfriend he's ever had. He likes her a lot. I think she's here to stay."

Daryl blushed and looked down at his feet.

The nurse smiled at Hershel affectionately. "You have a lovely family. I can tell how much they all love you. But it's getting late and visiting hours are ending. They'll have to come back and see you tomorrow."

Daryl and Carol leaned up from where they'd been resting their backs against the wall. "We'll stop by and see you tomorrow. Just give me a holler if you need us."

"Can I have another minute with them?" He asked the nurse. "Alone?"

She eyed the couple and then Hershel. "One minute. But that's it."

"Thank you." He nodded. When she left the room he let his eyes land on Daryl. "I just wanted to tell you both that it means a lot you came here to check on me."

"Ain't nothing." Daryl muttered. "After all, I'm your boy, right? Supposed to be here."

Daryl's words had come out playfully, but Hershel hadn't been playing when he'd told that nurse Daryl was his boy. He'd taken him under his wing from the moment he met him. He'd mentored him. Nurtured him. Pushed him to do the best he could at his job. He really did look at him like he was his son. He considered him to be a part of his family. He loved Daryl, he may have never told him, but he hoped he'd shown him in a hundred different ways over the last few years. "You are." Hershel reiterated. "You're like a son to me. You're just as much part of my family as my own kids are. I've never told you that, but you are."

"Thank you." Daryl mumbled, far too over come to really know what to say. Hershel's words tugged at his heart and made him feel a myriad of emotions.

"I could've died tonight. For a moment, I thought I might. Back at the house, I thought I was having a heart attack when my chest started tightening like it did, then everything went black. Truth is, we're never promised tomorrow. Not a one of us. So, we might as well make the most of what we have today. Say what we need to say to people, make amends, never waste a chance to tell someone we love them." His wise eyes met Daryl's boyish ones. Eyes that still carried such insecurity at times. "I love you, son. Don't ever forget that."

For what felt like the hundredth time tonight, Daryl bit back a sob, though this one wasn't born out of fear of losing someone he cared about. It was birthed from a need he'd thought he'd out grown a long time ago. The need to feel love and acceptance from a father. Hershel wasn't his old man, but he'd done more for him than his own old man ever had. Treated him with kindness, patience, acceptance, love. And hearing those words coming from Hershel's mouth meant more to him that he ever could have imagined they would. "Love you, too." He uttered, far more gruffly than he'd made it sound the first time he'd said those words to Carol a few days before.

()()()

Michonne had been fast asleep the night before when Maggie had tried to call her and let her know about Hershel being taken to the hospital. When she woke up the next morning her phone was flooded with missed calls and text messages. Her heart had sunk with the first message telling her Hershel had been taken to the hospital and possibly suffered from a heart attack. Overwhelming relief filled her when a later message let her know it had been a false alarm and it was a panic attack that resulted from him learning about Beth's pregnancy.

She'd called Maggie that morning to check on him and found out he'd be released around noon that day. Maggie had told her that the clinic would be closed the rest of the week so Hershel could fully heal from the concussion he suffered.

Maggie told her she could stop by for a visit that afternoon if she wanted to, but Mihconne had felt so guilty she hadn't been there last night that she made it a point to go visit him while he was still in the hospital that morning as soon as she was able to get ready. Since Rick was staying with her, he tagged along with her for the visit.

"You know? If you wanted a vacation, you could have just told us. You didn't have to have to do all of this just to get some time off." She smirked as she walked over and gave him a hug. Annette was sitting in a chair beside him and she turned and hugged the older woman as well.

"Wouldn't have been nearly as much fun. Those ambulance drivers could give Nascar racers a run for their money." He turned and waved to Rick. "Nice to see you again, Grimes."

"Good to see you, too, Hershel. I'm glad you're okay. I wish we would have known last night. We'd have been here."

"Well, it might be a good thing you didn't come. You and Dixon might have thrown down in the waiting room after seeing what you did to his lip. Some right hook you got there."

Rick's face reddened and he looked down, shamefully. "He told you about that?"

"He did. And I understand why you were upset. No one likes being lied to and feeling like they've been made a fool of."

Rick rubbed his stubbled chin and nodded. "I trusted them. Both of them.."

"I know you did." He tenderly agreed. "But you need to know something, Daryl really cares about your sister. He opens up to her and we both know that isn't something that comes easy to him. She knows him. Things about him I'm willing to be not even you do. They didn't ever wanna hurt you. They just didn't feel like they could come to you and you'd understand how they felt. I'm not saying it makes it right, but I am asking you to see if you can find it in your heart to forgive them and try and see where they were coming from. Life's short. None of us know what could happen tomorrow. Forgive each other and love one another. Like the good book says. She's the only sister you have. And Daryl's your best friend. We both know other than this that he's been a good one to you."

Rick didn't say anything, instead he looked away and trained his eyes on the white tile floors once again.

()()()

Rick had ended up having to go to work after they were done visiting Hershel. Rick dropped her back by her apartment where she spent her day off cleaning and running errands. She thought a lot about Hershel's words to Rick during the day and she decided that maybe they would provide the perfect opening to finally talk to him about the situation with the three of them and see if she could get him to stop seeing things just from his point of view.

He'd been miserable the last few days, and as mad as he said he was at them, all he seemed to be able to talk about was Daryl and his sister. She knew that deep down he missed talking to them.

To soften him for the conversation she picked up food from his favorite take out place and rented a few of his favorite movies. She was trying like hell to butter him up and get him in a good mood before she dove into this. They curled up together on the couch, sharing a few light kisses now and then, and when it was over she grabbed the remote and paused the TV to block out any sound so they could solely focus on the conversation she had planned.

She let her voice take on a soft, soothing tone, as she looked at him intently. "Rick, I think we need to talk about something." She took his hand in hers.

Rick's heart sped up. He could feel his palms start to sweat. The serious look on her face caused his stomach to swirl with anxiety. "You're not breaking up with me are you?" He spat out, the insecurity and fear in his voice clear as day.

His statement had taken her aback. "What? No! No!. Of course not." She squeezed his hand assuringly. "I love you and I'm not going anywhere. This talk isn't about us."

"Well…what's it about then?" He raised a brow.

"Carol and Daryl." She said, cautiously.

He shook his head fiercely. "I don't wanna talk about them."

"Yeah? Well, I do and you need to." Her voice took on more authority. "You're mad, Rick, nobody blames you for that. Not even them. And I get it. Okay? I get it. You think what they did is like what Lori and Shane did to you. But it's not exactly the same."

"They lied to me, Michonne!" He pulled his hands out of hers and stood up. "They went behind my back! How is that not the same? Huh! Tell me how it isn't? Because it's pretty fucking similar if you ask me."

"It is, but it isn't." She sighed and ran her hand over her face. "Carol's your sister, not your girlfriend."

"Yeah, I know that. But he told me he'd stay away from her and he didn't."

"I think he tried to."

"Really? How do you figure that? Because he fucked her the moment I left town and she'd barely been living there over a week."

"Because he was drawn to her. Don't you get it? There was something there from the beginning. Something neither of them could ignore. He wouldn't have risked his friendship with you if there wasn't. He loves you, Rick."

"Please." He scoffed. "He doesn't love anyone but himself and pussy."

"You know you don't really believe that. And if you do, look me in the eye and tell me you don't believe him when he said he loves your sister. Look me in the eye and tell me that's a lie. Because you might not have known there was something sexual going on with them, but you can't tell me you lived with them and didn't see how much they cared about each other."

Rick stared at her blankly. His icey blue eyes locked on hers, but he couldn't say it. He couldn't look her in the eye and tell her that he didn't believe that there was something real there between both of them. He couldn't deny that, almost since the moment she'd moved in, Daryl had been there for her in a way he'd never seen him be there for anyone else. That she'd clung to him and trusted him from the start. Seeking comfort in him any time she'd been upset. "It doesn't matter." He muttered, coldly. "How they feel doesn't change what they did. Would you expect me to go high five Shane and Lori and tell them congratulations and that it doesn't matter what they did because they were in love with each other?"

She sighed, heavily. "No, Rick. I wouldn't. Shane stole your girlfriend and you walked in on them. I wouldn't expect you to ever be okay with that. And that's not what I'm asking you to do with Daryl and your sister. But I think you need to talk to them and try and understand why they lied. Work through this together and come to an understanding."

"I don't want to." He spat, petulantly.

"Let me ask you something, Rick?" She was getting annoyed at how hard-headed and impossible he was acting. "If Daryl came to you before he slept with her and told you they were attracted to each other and they wanted to mess around, what would you have said? Or, I'll do you one better, what if he even told you he liked her? Would you have been okay with it or would you have asked him to step back? And don't even try to bullshit me, you're a horrible liar."

"I wouldn't have wanted him with her."

"And why not? If he really, really liked her. Why not?"

He flailed his arms in frustration. "She's my sister, Michonne. She's been through things you don't even know about. Things with our family. I just wanna protect her. That's all I've ever wanted to do. He's never had a girlfriend before. You know how much he gets around." He shook his head and fell back on the couch. "I didn't think…..he was right for her…..good enough." He quietly uttered under his breath.

"He's not a bad guy, Rick. Those girls he slept with wanted the same things he did. Like Jessie when you hooked up with her. And Carol's not a bad person either. She loves you to death and knowing she hurt you is killing her. Think about what Hershel said about life being short. You love both of them, and don't even say you don't because I know you do." She warned. "So why don't you just talk to them? Tomorrow's Daryl's birthday. Do you really want him spending it thinking you hate him?"

"Michonne.."

"Come on, Rick. We can go meet up with them tomorrow when they go downtown. You always spend Daryl's birthday with him and this is a big one. He's turning twenty-one."

"No."

"Rick.."

"No!"

"Rick?"

"I said no!" He growled. The look she gave them let him know his tone of voice had been out of line. He ran a hand through his hair. "Listen, I'm sorry. I'm still pissed at them and I don't wanna be around them right now. I shouldn't take that out on you, but you're pushing me to do something I don't want to. If you wanna go downtown with them tomorrow night, be my guest. I'm not gonna tell you what to do. But I don't want to see either of them and I don't wanna talk about them right now. So, I think it'd be best if tomorrow I just went ahead and went to my parents. I'll spend a few extra days there and just clear my head some." He watched her face fall. "I love you, Michonne, this isn't about us. It's not because I don't wanna be around you. I just…it's been a shitty few months and I think it'd be best for me to spend a little time away from here right now."


	67. Chapter 67

**Thanks to those of you sticking with this and still reading and to those of you reviewing. Your comments are always appreciated. I hope everyone had a great weekend. Here's the next chapter. Enjoy!**

Wednesday morning rolled around and that meant that it was officially Daryl's twenty-first birthday. Originally, Carol was planning to do a date night with him, one where she planned what they did and shared things with him that were important to her, like he'd done when he'd taken her to that picnic and camping by Hershel's pond. She'd been putting a lot of thought into how that date would go and what all they would do, but with everything going on around them, her plan had to be revamped a little.

For starters, Merle was in town, and he repeatedly claimed that his sole purpose in coming here had been to celebrate his baby brother's twenty-first birthday with him. Daryl still seemed to believe there was some other motive hidden behind Merle's impromptu visit, but even if there was, it didn't change the fact that Merle was here and seemed to be very eager to celebrate Daryl's birthday with him.

Because of that fact, Carol knew that whatever they did today, for the most part anyway, was going to have to include Merle. And she was more or less fine with that idea. She'd gotten along with him fairly well since they returned home from the lake. She'd even come to find his lewd quips somewhat hilarious at times. Daryl didn't see his brother much and she wasn't sure when he'd see him again after Merle left tomorrow. She didn't wanna put up a fight with Merle about it or exclude him.

With everything going on with Rick and Hershel ending up in the hospital Monday night things had gotten crazy for Daryl lately. Both of them, really. Thankfully, Hershel was at home and recovering well from his slight concussion. Hershel being alright had been a huge relief and weight off of their shoulders. However, Rick still hadn't spoken to either of them and it didn't look like that would be changing any time soon. Carol wanted his birthday to go over as smoothly as possible for him and for him to have a good day in the midst of all the chaos that had been going on.

She could plan a private date for them later. They had plenty of time for that. And just because they weren't going to have the whole evening alone, it didn't mean she still didn't have a few surprise up her sleeve for him throughout the day. One in particular that she planned on starting the morning with.

With the clinic being closed so Hershel could heal from his concussion and take some time to deal with his family issues going on, that meant they had the luxury of sleeping in a little later than normal. They'd both taken advantage of that opportunity the day before by sleeping in until way past nine. This morning, however, Carol had woken up early so she could go get his first birthday surprise ready. She quietly slipped out of bed and tip-toed her way into the kitchen, retrieving exactly what she needed from the fridge.

She made her way back to the bedroom, being sure to be quiet as a mouse. She didn't wanna wake Merle up, who was most likely asleep in her room, assuming he came home from the pool hall last night. The three of them had gone together, though she and Daryl had come home and Merle chose to stay and chat up some young girl he'd met. Carol was guessing she was barely eighteen. Likely a freshman who enrolled for Maymester. She had a nose piercing and blue and purple highlights in her hair. And for whatever reason, she seemed fascinated with Merle Dixon.

More importantly than all of that, though, she didn't wanna wake Daryl up just yet. Not until she was in the room with his surprise.

Once she was back in his room she was thrilled to see that he was still fast asleep in his bed. She slowly, and very tentatively, closed his door, pushing the lock in afterwards for good measure.

She crept towards the bed she'd crawled out of not long before, the indention from where her head had been resting all night was still fresh in the pillow. She let her eyes fall to where the man she loved was sleeping next to it. One hand rested under his head, while the other was lying in front of, him partially covering his face and partially clinging to the pillow next to him. He looked so peaceful, so serine, just lying there like that. Wisps of hair sticking up and sticking out, particularly around his ears. His nose twitching ever so slightly as he laid there. He was ruggedly handsome, no one could deny that. She'd known that since the moment she'd first met him, but lying here in bed like this, she couldn't help but think of how beautiful he was, too.

Maybe that's not a word most people would use for a man, but it's the only word she could think to fit how he looked right then. And she felt overcome with how deeply she felt for him as she gazed down at his sleeping form. How completely unexpected this all really had been. How insanely wrong the timing had been. How she probably didn't have a bit of business pursing him like she had in the first place. But, dear God, she was so glad that she did. And she was so happy that he'd come to her and told her how he felt. That he'd been patient with her, so understanding, giving her the time to come to term with her feelings for him and that he'd stood by her side as she did, always reminding her how he felt about her along the way. Making sure he showed her, not just told her.

She'd never imagined she could love a man again as much as she did him. If she was being honest, she wasn't sure she'd ever loved anyone the way she did him. Maybe that was silly to think, being she'd only known him a month and a half, but it was the truth. Falling for him had been swift and powerful, much like the current of a river. And like currents do, she'd been completely swept under and carried away by what she felt for him. She didn't ever wanna come up from that.

She carefully moved to the vacant side of the bed, taking a seat beside him. She moved her hand to brush his bangs off his forehead, clutching his surprise in her other hand, and she leaned forward and place a kiss against his forehead. "Morning, birthday boy." She whispered when her lips were done brushing his skin.

He stirred, blinking several times as he came to consciousness. He let out a sleepy sound, somewhere between a yawn and a grunt, the rolled onto his back. "Morning." He mumbled, stretching his hands over his head.

"How's it feel to be twenty-one?" She smiled down at him.

"Feels like I should still be asleep." He muttered, reaching to pull her back in bed with him.

She pulled away and shook her head, waiving a finger at him. "Uh, uh. Not yet. Not until we're done with having cake."

He poked his bottom lip in an effort to look pitiful. "I'm the birthday boy and I wanna go back to sleep. I ain't hungry yet."

She gave him a sultry grin and reached behind her, where she'd been hiding what she'd taken out of the refrigerator. "It's a good thing you're not hungry, because you're not the one who's gonna be eating."

Daryl popped up on his elbows and his eyes widened as he watched her produce a can of whipped cream from behind her back. She doused a small amount on her index finger, then slowly, sensually licked it off. He emitted a low growl from the back of his throat, feeling his boxers grow tighter as he watched her. "Fuck."

She pushed him back on the bed, pulled the covers down, then sprayed a small amount onto his chest. She had to bite back a laugh when he hissed as the cool cream connected with his skin. She licked her lips and met his eyes. "See, you're kind of the cake in this situation." She dipped her head down, then slowly started licking, then suckling, at his chest until he was clean. She smirked up at him. "You still wanna go back to sleep."

He shook his head rapidly. "Hell no!"

"Didn't think so." She replied, making a trail all the way down his chest to his abdomen with whipped cream. She stopped at his boxers, put the can down briefly, then looped her fingers through the waistband and gave them a tug.

He eagerly bucked his hips up so she could pull them all the way down, kicking them off once they reached his ankles, flinging them somewhere onto the floor in his room. He reached up, grabbed her forearm, then pulled her towards him, locking his lips on hers in a greedy kiss. He was breathing heavy when he pulled away. Blue eyes met blue and he held her gaze, his voice husky when spoke. "You're fucking perfect. You know that?"

()()()

Loud pounding on Daryl's bedroom door and the sound of the knob jingling startled them both awake a few hours later.

"Get your sorry asses up!" Merle called out from behind the door.

Daryl slid out of bed, sliding on his boxers that had been disregarded from their previous activities. "Unless you want me to open the door with my dick hanging out give me a minute."

"As long as your girlfriend's titties are hanging out, then by all means, go ahead. Maybe she'd be into letting us Eiffel tower her as a birthday present to you."

Carol pulled one of Daryl's shirts on over her head and slid her panties on. "You should really consider getting him neutered. I think it's best for the general population if he doesn't reproduce."

"I heard that!" Merle yelled. "And it wounds me deeply."

Daryl pulled the door open and Carol smirked at Merle. "I meant for you to hear me."

Merle scowled at her, but his frown disappeared and he turned his attention to his baby brother and ruffled his hair. "Happy birthday, you little shit. Now you can legally do everything you been doing since you were thirteen. You ready to start celebrating?"

"He already has." Carol winked.

Merle grinned mischievously. "Give him some birthday booty, did you? Ain't that sweet.

She grinned, wickedly. "We had cake."

"Did you save me some cake?"

Daryl blushed. "You don't want any. It ain't that kinda cake."

The shirt of Daryl's that Carol was wearing stopped about ¾'s above her knee. He eyed her long, toned legs and licked his lips. "I don't know. I think I might like to try a piece." Out of his peripheral's he noticed a can of whipped cream on the floor. He gave them both a nod of approval. "Damn, baby brother. You got you one that's got a little bit of a kinky side to her."

"Is there a reason you decided to wake us up?" He asked, changing the subject.

"Yeah, it's your birthday. We need to decide what we're doing tonight."

"I already decided. I told you we could go downtown. Get some drinks. Maybe catch Shawn's band while it's playing."

"You been doing that shit since you moved here." Merle groaned. "It's boring."

"What else you got in mind? Ain't much else to do." He shot Merle a warning look. "I ain't getting high with you. You made me eat that pizza with shrooms on it when I turned seveneteen and I thought a chupacabra was gonna eat my ass when we went walking in the woods."

"Now, now. I'm clean. You know that. No drugs. I promise."

"What then?"

"Strip Club." He simply stated, like it should have been obvious. "There's one a few exits down off of the interstate. Saw it on my way here."

Carol folded her arms across her chest. "You're kidding right? You've gotta be kidding."

"What? You can't tell me you think yours are the only pair of titties he's ever seen. Get real. He's a Dixon."

"Oh, I'm well aware that they aren't." She narrowed her eyes dangerously on Merle. "But they will be the only pair he sees in person as long as we're together."

"You gonna let her boss you around like that? Act like she owns you or something?"

"She can boss me around all she wants as long as she keeps doing stuff like she did earlier." He smirked, smugly. "Besides, I don't wanna go to no strip club. Been before. It ain't nothing special. They make you pay to look at something you can't touch no way."

"That's not true. You got to touch the one I bought you for your eighteenth birthday. From what I remember hearing, you got to touch her a lot of places."

Yeah, well, I ain't eighteen no more. I don't need you to pay strippers to sleep with me. And I don't need to go look at strippers for my twenty-first birthday." He reached an arm around Carol and let his hands land possessively around her breasts. He squeezed them gently through the shirt of his that she was wearing. "I got these any time I want."

She pinched him until he let go of her, but she couldn't help but smile a little at what he'd said.

"Fine." Merle pouted. "We'll go to the stupid fucking bar and order stupid fucking drinks. Like always. But don't coming crying to me when you're disappointed about how lame your birthday is."

()()()

Later that evening the three of them made the short walk downtown. They were going to start the evening off at Oasis because they were offering dollar Jello-shots. Planning to hit up different bars throughout the night. Carol told Daryl before they left that it was his night and they could do whatever he wanted, but that she had something planned for him and that they needed to be at The Buff around 10:00 that night. And then they needed to be at some undisclosed location by midnight. She'd told him both were surprises and he wasn't allowed to ask.

He knew that one of them had required her to disappear for about an earlier, but she wouldn't tell him why. She said that he just had to trust her and go with the flow. After the morning surprise she had given him, he had no trouble doing just that. In fact, he was eager to see what else she had planned. He'd never had someone to go to so much trouble for him on his birthday before. It really meant a lot to him that she was going to such lengths.

When they arrived at Oasis, Maggie and Glenn were waiting for them, along with Tara and her girlfriend, Denise. He was a little surprised to see that Denise had actually come with Tara. She usually didn't get out much. Tara had explained Denise suffered from anxiety and that sometimes social gatherings were a little much for her.

A series of happy birthday's erupted when everyone noticed him, causing him to blush from all the attention. He waved them off.

Merle nodded towards Tara when he noticed her. He walked up and took the seat beside her while Carol and Daryl took seats on the other side of Maggie. "There's my favorite wing woman. Please? Please, tell me you're gonna help me pick up chicks tonight? My brother took himself off the market and I've been having to go on the prowl alone this weekend."

Tara pursed her lips and shook her head. "It's good to see you again. But I gotta say, I'm sorry, Merle. I'm taken, too." She nodded over her shoulder. "This is my girlfriend, Denise."

Denise waved shyly and extended her hand.

Merle studied the new woman and reluctantly shook her hand. "It's like a damn romance novel here." He grumbled.

Daryl and Carol were talking to Maggie, asking how Hershel was doing, when Michone walked up and joined them.

She took a seat beside Carol, a weary look showing on her face. "Happy birthday, Dixon."

"Thanks." He muttered. He glanced back towards the door, wondering if maybe somehow she'd talked Rick into joining her. She told him yesterday afternoon she was going to try and talk to Rick that night about the three of them. Invite him downtown. He was assumed that hadn't worked. "Guess Rick ain't coming."

Carol looked over to Michonne, an almost hopeful look in her eyes, but Michonne shook her head slowly and any hope she had faded.

"I tried to talk to him about you guys last night. I tried to make him see things from a different perspective. I was hoping I could get him to come tonight and hopefully talk to you, but he wouldn't budge."

"He's still pretty mad, huh?"

The other woman nodded. "He is. He, uh, he actually left my place this afternoon."

"What? Where did he go?" Carol asked with worried eyes.

"Your parents. He said he needed to get away. He wanted some time to clear his head. I'm sorry, guys. I tried, I really did. When he gets back in town I'll try talking to him again."

Daryl ordered a shot, which the bartender quickly filled, once it was placed in front of him he immediately downed it and ordered another. "Nah." He growled. "Don't worry about. He don't wanna talk to me, fine. He ain't gotta fucking talk to me. I tried talking to him. Tried apologizing. Ain't gonna beg. He either forgives me or he don't." He picked up his second shot and downed it just as quickly as he had the first. "Hey, bartender, fill one for everybody sitting with us." He motioned from Michonne all the way down to Denise. "It's my twenty-first birthday, we're gonna get fucked up."


	68. Chapter 68

"That's what I'm talking about little brother." Merle cackled, ruffling Daryl's hair up as he sank the winning shot to the game of beer pong they were playing against Tara and Michonne.

After Daryl had ordered everyone two more rounds of shots over at The Buff, they'd walked a few blocks over to a place called Sidebar. It was probably the smallest bar in town, no bigger than twenty by ten feet inside. There were beer pong tables and a small bar area to order drinks, there were a few small tables people could sit at, but it wasn't a place for large gatherings.

Carol was sitting at the tables with Denise, Glenn and Maggie while the other four played beer pong. With the amount Daryl was drinking, and insisting everyone else drink, she figured at least one of them needed to stay relatively sober. Because if he kept going at this pace, she was going to be really surprised if he wasn't puking his guts out later.

"Does he always drink like this?" Denise pondered, as she studied Daryl and the rest of the group at the beer pong table. He and Merle were downing the three cups of beer that were left on their table.

Carol shook her head. "No he doesn't. I mean, he'll drink some, get a good buzz going, but I've never seen him throw back so many so fast, and it doesn't look like he's intending to stop any time soon."

"I don't know, Carol." Glenn chimed in. "Before you moved here he used to get pretty fucked up when he came downtown. That's how he ended up hooking up with a lot of the girls he used to get with. He gets a lot more outgoing when he drinks."

Maggie grimaced at the memory of a time they all went out together and Daryl ended up getting so trashed he passed out in one of the bar bathrooms with his face lying flat on the toilet. It was St. Patrick's Day and all the alcohol the bar had been serving had green food coloring added to it. His shirt and pants had been covered in some of the most gnarly vomit she'd ever seen. She, Rick, and Glenn had carried him into a cab and Rick cleaned him up when they got home. "He's gonna be so sick later. You have no idea what you're in for. Have fun with that, Carol."

She propped her elbows on the table and placed her head in her heads, emitting a low groan.

Daryl and the others walked back over to where Carol, Maggie, Glenn, and Denise were sitting. Daryl's eyes were squinted and the corner of his lip was turned up. Carol's back was facing him and he thought he was going to sneak up on her. He pressed two fingers to his lips. "SHHHH!" It didn't come out close to anything resembling a whisper. "

The others were snickering and Carol lifted her head and whipped around in his direction. "Not so stealthy tonight are you, Pookie?"

He turned bright red. "Stop. Don't call me that. Not unless you want me to call you…"

She jumped up and clamped a hand over his mouth. "Daryl Dixon, don't you dare say that in front of anyone else if you wanna make it to twenty-two." She growled into his ear. The others stifled laughs as he nodded and she slowly removed her hand.

"Hey, Glenn? You and Maggie against me and Merle in beer pong. Come on, hustle, let's go, let's go."

Carol grabbed his hand. "Why don't you sit this one out?"

He shot her a puzzled look. "But I won."

She stroked her fingertips over his shoulder. "I know. And you and Merle did a good job." Her voice sounded like one of someone praising a small child. "But I just wanna spend a few minutes with you. Okay?" What she really wanted to do was get him to take a small break from drinking.

Michonne seemed to catch on. "Come on, Merle. I'll be your partner this round."

The foursome walked over to the beer pong table and Tara took a seat beside Denise. Daryl grabbed the seat Carol had been sitting in before she jumped up to cover his mouth, then patted his lap and grabbing her by the hand and pulling her into him.

She settled into him. "Are you having a good birthday?"

"Mhm." He purred against her neck. "Really liked my present this morning." His hands were resting just above her knees. She had on a sundress and her exposed legs were too tempting for his drunken state. He slowly started trailing his fingertips along, upwards, pulling her dress up as he moved further up her thighs. He started suckling her neck, but paused when she tensed and clasped her hands over his wandering ones. He turned so he could face her, trying to force his squinted eyes open more, but to no avail. "Did…Did I do something wrong? Are you mad at me?" He slurred.

She smiled softly at him. She did wish he'd slow down on how much he was drinking, but she wasn't mad at him for over indulging on his birthday. Not unless he started being an asshole or getting unruly. "No. But I'm not letting you feel me up in a room full of people."

He grinned and moved in to kiss her. His breath was a mixture of whiskey and menthol cigarettes. When he pulled away he nodded over his shoulder. "There's a bathroom. More privacy in there."

She patted his cheek softly and shook her head. "I don't think so."

He looked at her, crestfallen. "You don't want me?"

"Do I don't want to have sex with you in that bathroom right now? No."

He dropped his hands, letting them slip out from under hers, and muttered disappointedly "Alright."

()()()

They stayed there until Merle and Michonne were finished with their round of beer pong against Maggie and Glenn. Daryl didn't drink anything else while they were there, but once they made their way to the next bar, he started ordering rounds for everyone again. He was spending a lot of money tonight and he probably wasn't going to be happy with himself or his bank account tomorrow.

"Do you have any idea how much you're going to hate yourself in the morning?" Maggie asked Daryl, as she watched him down another shot of whiskey.

He looked at her, baffled, and his words came out slurred. "Why would I hate myself in the morning? I fucking love myself right now. I'm having a good time with my brother and all of my friends. Except for Rick Grimes." He huffed. "But I reckon that don't matter because we ain't exactly friends no more because he hates me." He placed his arm over Carol's shoulder and his tone brightened. "But it's all good. I got my beautiful girlfriend here and I wouldn't wanna be spending my birthday without her. Oh, by the way, she was nice enough to give me one hell of a blow job this morning." He smiled widely, causing his eyes to squint even more. "I mean, it was fucking amazing, there was whip cream and she did this thing where she…"

"Daryl." Carol snapped, turning as red as apple on the bottle of beer that Merle was drinking out of.

He gave her another hurt look, similar to the one he'd given when she wouldn't go sleep with him in the bathroom at the other bar. "What? I was just giving you a compliment."

"That's not the kinda compliment that needs to be made publicly" She firmly reminded him.

"I don't see why. Everybody screws around." He continued to slur. "Nothing to be embarrassed about. Shit, you're good at it. Don't see why I can't tell people. Something to be proud of, having a girlfriend that's a good fuck and good..."

She narrowed her eyes on him sharply. "Daryl, stop. I'm really not comfortable you discussing our sex life with our friends and your brother, let alone with the whole bar. I don't think you realize how loud you're being." He nodded and muttered an apology to her, then reached for another shot that the bartender had placed down in front of him. She placed her hand over his as he reached for it and shook her head at him disapprovingly. "I think you've had enough for a while. You're really drunk."

"Oh, come on!" Merle groaned, dramatically. "Stop babying him. You're his girlfriend. Not his mama. He's a grown man. He knows his own damn limit. It's his birthday for fuck's sake. Let him have a good time. You walk around like you're carrying his balls in your hand or something. He's dating you, that don't mean he still don't have a mind of his own."

"And are you gonna be the one taking care of him later when he's puking all over himself? Are you gonna stop him from blurting out personal details about our relationship I don't want everyone to know?" She challenged, glaring hardly at the elder Dixon. "And you can stop saying I'm trying to control him and that I'm the reason he doesn't wanna do this or that anymore. You're just pissed off because he won't go whoring around with you since he found someone he really cares about. But that's his choice, Merle. Not something I constantly have to remind him he can't or shouldn't do. One he made because he's a decent person and he loves and respects me."

The averted their eyes to the showdown, between Carol and Merle, trying to make it look like they weren't nosey or didn't hear any part of what went down, though they'd heard every single word and were wondering what Merle's reaction would be. He was hot headed, so it could get ugly, fast. And if Merle got too snappy with Carol, it was more than likely Daryl would jump in.

Before Merle had a chance to retaliate, Glenn jumped in, feeling emboldened from all the shots Daryl had been passing to him throughout the night. "You, know, that wasn't really nice, Merle. You shouldn't talk to your brother's girlfriend like that. He probably doesn't like it. Daryl's happy with her. She isn't making him do things, he wants to. He's someone different now. But that's okay. He's twenty-one. It's time for him to be a man." He turned his attention to Carol. "And Merle's his brother, you probably shouldn't be yelling at him. Merle can be a dick, he's gonna yell back and then Daryl's gonna get pissed and then they're gonna fight." He grinned at them both, feeling very satisfied with himself for trying to diffuse the situation. "Now, why don't you both apologize and hug it out. You're kinda family if you think about it. Or you might be one day."

"Did I ask your fucking opinion, Chinaman?" Merle growled.

"He's Korean." Daryl corrected. "And he's right I don't want you two fighting, it's bad enough the way things are with Rick, I don't want anyone else.." He was cut off by loud squeal of a microphone filling the room, canceling out idle chatter in the packed bar, followed by Shawn's band being introduced.

()()()

Everyone in the group turned their attention to the stage, even Merle and Carol, who were still ready to go at each other's throats.

"Alright, Alright. Who's ready to hear some music tonight?" Shawn yelled as he took the microphone.

Cheers and squeals from the audience filled the room.

"I can't hear you! I said, who's ready to hear some music tonight?" He smirked as the bar grew louder. "Now, that's what I like to hear." His eyes scanned the room, landing on Daryl and the group surrounding him in the back of the bar. "You know, before I get started tonight, I wanna give a shot out to somebody tonight. He's a friend of mine. Some of you may know him, hell, if you're a woman, there's a good chance you may have slept with him." He chuckled.

The crowd giggled in response, including Maggie, Glenn, and Carol. They shared a knowing look then turned to Daryl, who hadn't seemed to pick up on where this was going.

"Everybody give it up for my boy, Daryl Dixon." He pointed to the back of the bar." There he is ladies and gentleman. It's his twenty-first birthday tonight."

People started clapping, whistling, and screaming happy birthday to him. Normally, all the attention would have been unwanted by him, it might have even embarrassed him. But in the inebriated state he was in, he was soaking it up. "Happy fucking Birthday to me!" He screamed at the top of his lungs, earning more laughter and cheers.

Shawn regained control of the room and got the noise from the crowd to die down some. "Now, in honor of Daryl's birthday, we've got a very special guest performing our first song with us tonight. I promise, you won't be disappointed." He pointed to the back of the room again. "Show some love for Daryl's girlfriend. The beautiful, and very talented, Carol Grimes." He started clapping for her then motioned for her to join them. "Hell, if you know Daryl, you know she's gotta be something special to lock him down. Am I right?"

()()()

Daryl looked up over at Carol curiously. "What's all this?"

Her nerves were on edge at the thought of performing in front of all of these people, not to mention from the confrontation with Merle only moments earlier and how slightly irritated she was growing with Daryl's newfound brazenness tonight. "It's the second part of your surprise." She told him, her voice a little shaky. She grabbed his hand in hers and squeezed it for her own comfort. "Don't laugh, even if I suck. I just wanted to share this part of me with you." She leaned in and placed a quick peck on his cheek before making her way to the stage.

Once she made her way through the crowded bar and to the bottom of the stage, Shawn reached a hand out and helped pull her up. She could feel a million butterflies swirling around in her stomach from all of the people looking at her. She hadn't performed in front of a crowd since high school and she was feeling a bit overwhelmed. He led her over to the corner of the stage where a piano was and she took a seat. There was microphone in front of it. She placed her fingers above the keys and her hands were shaking. She sucked in a deep breath.

Shawn leaned in and whispered in her ear. "Don't worry. You're gonna do fine. Just like you did when we practiced. Drown everyone and everything else out. Just concentrate on Daryl if you have to." She nodded and he patted her shoulder. "Kick some ass, girl."

She sucked in another deep breath and pushed everything else out of her mind. Her eyes went to the back of the bar, where Daryl was sitting, and she locked her eyes on his, as she started to play, followed by singing:

" _If I could find assurance to leave you behind_

 _I know my better half would fade_

 _All of my doubt is staircase for you_

 _Opened out of this maze."_

()()()

"Oh my God!" Maggie squealed. "I had no idea she could sing like that."

"I didn't even know she could play piano." Tara said.

"She has a beautiful voice, Daryl." Denise told him.

He wasn't much paying attention to them, he was mesmerized by her up on that stage. Any hint of nervousness she'd shown before making her way up there had faded. She looked so natural up there, so graceful. It was almost sobering to hear how amazing she was playing the piano. He'd known she played when she was a kid, but he hadn't realized she was that good. And her voice, he hadn't had the slightest clue she could sing. She hadn't told him that before. It voice was almost enchanting. She seemed so wholeheartedly committed to each verse leaving her lips. He watched and listened in awe as she continued to sing.

" _You can have the money and the world_

 _The angles and the pearls_

 _Even trademark the color blue_

 _Just like the tower we never built_

 _In the shadow of all the guilt_

 _When the other hand was pointed at you_

 _Yeah the first step is the one you believe in_

 _And the second one might be profound."_

()()()

Silence filled the bar as she continued to sing, all eyes were on her, but the only person's she noticed were Daryl's.

" _I don't care if we fall from grace_

 _I'll follow you down_

 _to where forever lies_

 _Without a doubt I'm on your side_

 _There's nowhere else I'd rather be_

 _I'm not about to compromise_

 _Give you up to say goodbye_

 _I'll guide you through the deep_

 _I'll keep you close to me!_

 _I'll follow you down through the eye of the storm_

 _Don't worry I'll keep you warm_

 _I'll follow you down while we're passing through space_

 _I don't care if we fall from grace_

 _I'll follow you."_

 _If I could find assurance to leave you behind_

 _I know my better half would fade_

 _I'll follow you down."_

()()()

When the song was over she slowly made her way back to where Daryl and the others were sitting. Maggie, Glenn, Michonne, Tara, and Denise were telling her what an awesome job she'd done and how impressed they were, while Merle was sulking in the corner with his arms folded across his chest.

When Daryl approached her she nervously brushed strand of hair out of her face. "There's the second part of your surprise. Did you like it?"

He titled her chin so their eyes were meeting, then captured her lips with his. The kiss was a bit fumbly and aggressive, but when it was over he smiled brightly at her. "You were pretty fucking amazing up there. I didn't know you could sing like that. It was sexy as hell."

"So, I take it you like it?"

He nodded. "Did you even practice?"

"Yeah. A little. That's kinda where I was earlier when I disappeared for an hour. I met with Shawn and the rest of the guys from his band." She paused, wondering if he was going to get jealous about that because of everything at the lake with Shawn and how drunk he was right now. Ed had always been insanely jealous if she'd ever been around another man without him there. Even his friends. He'd accuse her of all kinds of things, and she'd swear she'd never do anything to hurt him. Ironic how he'd been the one cheating all of that time.

"That was pretty cool of him. I had no idea you were even planning it." He didn't seem to get jealous at all. At least he didn't sound that way. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close. "Seriously, that was amazing. You're really good. You could be a part of his band."

She sucked in deep breath, the adrenaline she'd been feeling on stage was wearing off, and the fact that she'd just performed in room full of people started setting in. "I don't think being in a band is for me. In fact, I think I might go vomit a little."

"You want a shot to calm your nerves? It always works for me."

"No. I'm sorry to be a bummer here but I really think one of us needs to stay relatively sober. I'm gonna run to the restroom really quick. I'll be right back."

When she went to walk away Maggie, Michonne, and Tara followed her. He didn't understand why girls always seemed to travel in packs to take pisses. He was about to order another shot while he waited on them to get back, but what Carol had said prior to going on stage rung in his mind. He was already pretty fucked up right now. Maybe he should slow down. At least for an hour or two.

Merle slithered in beside his beside his brother, nursing a jack and coke. "Didn't know she could sing like that. She in the band with Shawn or something?"

"Fuck, I didn't know she could either. Knew she could play piano. Her parents used to make her. Don't ever remember her mentioning singing before. And nah, she ain't in his band, I don't even think she practiced much for this. Just for an hour or so today."

Merle swirled the little black straw around in his drink, causing the ice hit the glass and clank. "Did you know she was going to hang out with Shawn today?"

"No. She said she had to go do something for part of my surprise and told me not to ask questions. Kinda would've gave it away, dumbass."

"So, she went and hung out with another guy for an hour and didn't tell you about it?"

"It ain't like that." Daryl growled. "And Shawn wouldn't do that." Merle shot him a look. "He knows we're together now. He wouldn't try anything knowing that shit. And even if he did, she wouldn't go for it."

Merle shrugged and sipped his drink. "Just seems to me like her and Shawn got some stuff in common. Both being musically inclined and all. Probably a hell of a lot more in common than you and her do. Pretty convenient they spent some time together today."

"What are you trying to say?"

"You know damn well what I'm trying to say." He hissed. "Same thing I tried to tell your dense ass in the woods the other day. This thing with her, it ain't what you think it is. Not for her. You're a rebound, little brother. A stop along the way. Maybe the sex has been so damn amazing you haven't been able to see clearly, but you gotta open your eyes and look past that. You're gonna get hurt when she meets the real deal. Someone like Shawn up there. Someone that make sense."

"She loves me, Merle. What the hell don't you get about that?"

"Like she loves that brother of hers she lied to for over a month? Huh?" He challenged. "If she'd lie to her own flesh and blood, what the fuck makes you think she'll be honest with you? She spent an hour with another guy today and didn't tell you about it. What makes you so damn sure nothing happened with them? Singing that romantic song together and all. You didn't even know she could sing, how well do you even really know her when you think about it?"

His chest was heaving and he turned and got in his brother's face. "I ain't gonna tell you again, stay out of my damn business with her. Stop trying to fuck with my head." But when Daryl turned around and order another drink, Merle knew his message had been clearly conveyed.

()()()

They stayed at the bar and listened to Shawn's band play for a while longer. Carol and Merle didn't pick their argument up where it had left off, but they had put as much distance between themselves as possible. Much to Carol's dismay, Daryl hadn't really slowed down on his drinking, in face he may have increased it if that was possible, and he was for all intents and purposes, shit faced drunk. On the bright side, at least he'd stopped buying everyone else's drinks. And he hadn't decided to blurt out any more details of their sexual escapades to anyone, yet.

She wasn't so sure she was even going to be able to enact part three of her surprise for him in the state he was in. She wasn't entirely sure how well it would go over with him being this drunk.

Shawn's band had stopped playing about thirty minutes ago and it was karaoke hour. Somehow, Merle had talked Daryl into getting on stage with him, and the brothers were singing Old Violin by Johnny Paycheck.

Glenn was currently snap chatting the video to everyone he knew. Giggling like a school girl as he kept taking snaps. "I can't believe Daryl's up there singing right now."

"You know he's gonna kick your ass when he finds out you sent that to everyone we know?" Michonne warned.

"I don't even care. It's totally worth it." He replied, letting the camera continue to roll.

When the song was over Daryl and Merle stumbled their way back to the group, arms wrapped around each other, cackling like hyenas. Both vastly unaware how off key and tone deaf they were.

"How'd we do?" Merle asked, keeping an arm around his younger brother's neck.

"It was priceless." Tara chuckled.

"I wouldn't have missed it." Maggie added with a smirk.

Daryl stumbled away from Merle and fell into Carol, locking his arms around her waist. "What'd you think?"

"It was…very entertaining." She chuckled, steadying him so he didn't topple over.

"We could sing one together if you want. Rambling Man."

"Please do." Glenn snorted. "Seriously, go now."

Carol sneered at him, knowing he only wanted to poke fun at Daryl later for it, then looked back at Daryl. "I had no idea you liked classic county so much."

"Grew up with it. All the old man used to listen to. How you think Merle got his name? Good ole Merle Haggard Dixon. I ain't ever told you that before?" He replied, sounding surprised, almost looking troubled at the realization.

She shook her head.

"I should probably be heading out." Michonne announced, after checking her phone. "It's getting late and I need to get home and call Rick." She walked towards the couple. "Happy birthday, Daryl." She told him, wrapping her arms around his neck because she knew he was so drunk he wouldn't stop her from hugging him. She then moved and did the same to Carol.

"Have you talked to my brother since he got to our parents?"

"Yeah. We've been texting a little."

"Do you think he told them why he came home early? Why I'm not with him?"

Michonne shook her head. "He hasn't said anything if he has, but I don't think so. I'll talk to you tomorrow and let you know more when I do."

"Thanks for everything, Michonne, I know it puts you in a bad place, but I really appreciate it."

()()()

Maggie and Glenn ended up leaving not long after Michonne did and it was just Daryl, Merle, Carol, Denise and Tara. It was almost midnight now and Carol was about to borrow someone's phone and call and cancel the reservations she had for Daryl's final surprise. She figured he was so drunk that he'd forgotten about it by now and she'd decided this part would go over much better when he was sober. She could just come back with him tomorrow. Without Merle, who she was relieved to know would be leaving tomorrow. Although she wouldn't tell Daryl that unless he asked.

Daryl's phone vibrated and he plucked it from his pocket, an alarm was going off. One he'd made sure to set earlier so he could help keep track of time. He paused for a moment, trying hard to remember what it was about. "Ain't you got somewhere for us to be?" He finally asked Carol.

"I did…but it's alright. We don't have to go tonight. I'll call and re-schedule and I can just take you tomorrow."

He poked his bottom lip out. "I want my last surprise tonight." He whined.

"Fine." She relented. "Let's go." If having a kid was anything like dealing with a drunk Daryl, she was never getting her Implannon taken out.

The five of them walked down the street a few blocks. And by walked, that meant she and Denise walked, while Daryl, Merle, and Tara stumbled behind them. Denise had barely drunk anything all night. Carol noticed and asked her about it, she'd said she wasn't big on drinking and had actually never been drunk.

"I missed the fuck out of you, little brother." Merle said as he slapped Daryl on the back. "We don't see each other enough. We should change that."

"I fucking miss you, too, man." He replied, slapping him equally as hard. "You should really come visit me more."

"I know. I know. Hey, I got a great idea."

"Yeah? What's that?"

"Well, Rick's all pissed at you and shit. Why don't I just move in and take his room. It'd be perfect. Then we could hang out like this all the time.

Carol, who could vaguely overhear their conversation, perked her ears up at that statement and slowed her pace. If Daryl drunkenly told his brother he could move in with them she was going to explode.

"Nah, man. That's Rick's room. I can't give you his room. He might hate me, but he's still gotta live somewhere. Michonne's gonna kick his ass out eventually once she realizes what a pain in the ass he can be to live with. I can't let him stay under a bridge or nothing. Even if he punched me in the face and I'd like to kick him in the nuts one good time, I can't give you his room. I still care about the son of a bitch."

"Fine." He grumbled. "Well, what about this? You and Carol are fucking, I could just take her room and she could shack up with you. Problem solved. Rick has a room, you two have a room, I got a room. Everybody wins."

She stopped walking when she heard that and Daryl ended up smacked into her back.

"Fuck, you alright? I didn't see you there. Am I walking really fast or are you walking really slow."

"Neither." She replied, raising an eyebrow. "Say, what were you two talking about?"

"Merle had a great idea!" He beamed. "He thinks he should move in with us. He can take your room and you can just move in my room with me. Wouldn't it be great to have both of our brother's in the same house with us?"

Hell no! She wanted to scream. But out of respect to the fact that he loved his brother, she didn't. She bit down on her lower lip. "As lovely as you may think that sounds, I think we should discuss this tomorrow when we all have clear heads."

He stared blankly at her. His voice coming out insecure. "You…you don't…wanna share a room with me?"

"That's not what I said, let's just, let's talk about this tomorrow. Okay?" She took his hand in hers giving it a tight squeeze.

He nodded, flicking his eyes to the ground as they continued to walk. They stopped in front of a small, green building with a neon sign hanging above it that read, Bluez. He stared at the sign in confusion, then looked at her with amusement. "Did you bring me to a tattoo shop? Are you gonna get a tattoo? That'd be so fucking hot."

"No." She chuckled, placing a hand on his chest. "I'm gonna get you a tattoo. You've been saying how you wanted another one. Well, tonight, it's on me. Whatever you want." Though she added the last part a bit hesitantly, hoping he wouldn't do something off the wall, like getting a tramp stamp or a tattoo on his ass.

"What if I want you to get a tattoo?"

She shook her head as the five of them walked in the door. "Tonight's for you. Not me. I wouldn't even know what to get and I'd have to think long and hard before I marked my body with something for life. I'd have to know it was something I wanted."

She walked up to the desk and confirmed her appointment she'd made Daryl with the artist. He asked him if he knew what he wanted and Daryl was going back and forth between a devil on his right bicep or a snake on his left leg. The artist drew up sketches for both ideas and showed them to Daryl, who finally decided on the devil.

Merle and Tara were looking through a book that they found in the shop that contained piercings that clients had gotten. Both snickered like children every time they came across pictures of genital piercings.

Daryl handed the man a copy of his driver's license and filled some short paper work, and then was taken to the tattoo room. The artist motioned him to a seat and introduced himself as Mike. He was a shorter man, with sleeves himself. Dragons, demonic creatures, and skulls lined his arms. He had dreads in his hair, a nose ring, gauges, and snake bites in his bottom lip.

"It's your birthday, bud?" The artist asked, as he ran a razor across Daryl's bicep to remove any trace of hair that might be there.

"Hell yeah, twenty-one. Finally."

"I heard that man. You're pretty fucked up, huh?"

"Fucking wasted." He chuckled. "Looks like there's two of you."

"You sure you want this tattoo?" He asked him, then looked up at Carol who was standing beside him, as if to gain confirmation that he wasn't going to regret this tomorrow.

"Fuck yeah I do. It ain't my first one. Got two demons on my shoulder blade. I know what I'm doing." He slurred.

Carol nodded. "He's been talking about getting another one the last two weeks. I decided to pay for it for his birthday."

"You two together?"

"That's my girlfriend." Daryl grinned. "She's pretty fucking great. She's made sure I had one hell of a birthday. I just wish she'd get one with me. It'd be fucking hot."

Mike dipped the tattoo gun in black in, then looked up at Carol. "You want one? This shouldn't take too long and we're open until one. I could work you in."

She shook her head. "No thanks. Just take care of him."

"We do piercings, too." The man suggested, as he went to work on Daryl's bicep, loud buzzing filling the room. "You could get a belly button piercing; pretty sure your guy here would go crazy for it."

She pondered the idea for a moment, then shook her head. Truthfully, she hated needles and she wasn't keen on the idea of one going through her stomach. She thought they were cute, and maybe if she'd drank more tonight she would have agreed, but she hadn't and it wasn't happening. "Maybe next time he comes in for a tattoo."

()()()

Thirty minutes later, the man was finished inking Daryl's arm. His formerly clean bicep now bore a small, black devil, complete with wings and a tail. Mike placed a bandage over it and instructed Daryl to leave it on for at least thirty minutes, to wash it several times a day and keep it clean and to apply A&D ointment several times a day to prevent cracking.

Carol had to admit, the man had talent. He'd done a remarkable job on the tattoo and Daryl seemed pleased with it.

Merle and Tara walked in the room with that piercing book as Daryl and the artist were finishing up, Merle shoved the book in his younger brother's face, roaring with laughter at one picture in particular of a prince albert on a rather small penis. He then flipped the page to show him a clit piercing, followed by nipple piercings on the next page of a large busted woman and a slightly overweight man. "That's some shit ain't it? I tell you what? Ain't nothing like sucking on a pair of pierced titties."

"Or a clit." Tara chimed in, receiving a high five from Merle.

"I fucking miss you being single." Merle grumbled, as he and Tara walked out of the room, uttering both of you under his breath, though Daryl and Carol didn't catch that part.

Mike was stifling a laugh as Merle and Tara walked away, then turned his attention back to Daryl. Anything else I can do for you tonight? You want that snake tattoo, too?"

Daryl pondered things a moment, then nodded. "I wanna get my nipple pierced." He pointed to Carol "Hers too. I want her to get her nipples pierced."

"Not happening, pookie."

"Come on." He whined, completely ignoring what she'd just called him. "I'm getting mine done."

"Daryl, you seriously want your nipple pierced? You don't think you're gonna regret this in the least tomorrow?"

He shook his head rapidly. "Nah. No way. It's a great idea. Come on. Please, do it. Get yours pierced with me."

"I don't want a giant needle shoved through my nipples!"

"It won't hurt. People think tattoos hurt but they don't. It'll be really quick and it's over. And when we're fucking around and I'm sucking on them it'll make it feel way better. It'll just be a quick pinch. I'll go first."

She scrapped her bottom lip with her teeth and shook her head again. "No way in hell."

He groaned and looked over at Mike. "Pierce mine so she sees it ain't no big deal."

"Alright." Mike shrugged and ushered him out of the tattoo room and towards the piercing room. "Left or right?" Mike asked, as Daryl took a seat on the piercing table.

"Left."

Merle, Tara, and Denise had walked in the room with them to watch. Merle was getting a kick out of the fact his baby brother was having his nipple pierced.

Carol held his hand while Mike did the piercing and wasn't surprised when he tightened his grip during the process. He didn't scream or yelp, though she was sure that had a lot to do with the numbing effect of all the alcohol he'd drank.

"You got a place I can check this out at?" He asked. "I wanna see how it looks."

"Bathrooms the next door over." He replied. "Big mirror in there. Knock yourself out."

Carol paid for his tattoo and unexpected piercing while he was gone, assuring Mike she wouldn't be needing her nipples pierced tonight, then stepped outside to smoke a cigarette she'd bummed from Daryl before he headed to the bathroom. She was ready to go home and get in bed. She felt like she was babysitting him tonight and it was starting to feel exhausting. Maybe she could bribe him with a promise of sex if he'd agree to go home.

"Is he alright?" Denise asked, taking her by surprise and joining her outside of the tattoo shop?"

"Who? Daryl?" She replied, taking a drag off of her cigarette.

Denise nodded. "He seems a little upset. I mean, I don't know him, but all night he just seemed like he's trying to get something off of his mind by drinking so much."

"Honestly, he probably is." She agreed. He may have seemed non-chalant about Rick not showing up and still not wanting to talk to either of them, but she had a feeling it was still bothering him a lot more than he let on. She knew it was bothering her. "He's best friends with my brother and we kinda kept our relationship a secret for a while and when he found out he was really pissed. It's complicated, really."

"Yeah." She fumbled with her hands. "Tara told me. I get why that would upset both of you. I'm really close with my brother, he's pretty much my best friend, and I'd hate it if we weren't talking."

"Yeah. It sucks. It's me, though."

"Can I offer you some advice?"

"Umm…sure."

"Talk to him. Tell him why you lied in the first place."

"Carol snorted at that. "Yeah, I've tried that. He doesn't wanna talk to me. Trust me. He's ignored all my calls and texts and stormed off when I tried to talk to him in person."

"Then don't call or text him. Go to him in person. Make him hear what you have to say. Really make him understand where you were coming from and that it was never your intention to hurt him. Tell him you're not gonna drop it until he hears you out and you both have a rational conversation about it. Communication is key in every relationship. Not just with your brother, with Daryl, too. With everyone. Keeping secrets is never good, even if you're trying not to hurt someone's feelings, it always hurts someone in the long one. Yourself or someone you love."

She raised a brow at her. "Are you saying something's wrong with mine and Daryl's relationship?"

Denise put her hand up. "No. I'm not trying to say that." She sighed heavily, reluctant to reveal what she knew and not wanting to cause trouble, but deciding it was for the best. "I just heard some stuff his brother was saying to him while you went to the bathroom after you sang. Stuff I think might really be getting inside his head. He started drinking a lot again after him and Merle talked. I think it got to him a lot more than he let Merle know it did."

"What stuff, exactly?" She tried to hide the anger in her voice, but wasn't effective at it.

"Just…talk to Daryl. Ask him if he's okay. Ask him if the two of you are okay. Let him know you love him."

"Denise…"

"Really, Carol, I don't wanna say any more than I did. It's not my place. And he's drunk, so don't storm in there flipping out either. Just have a calm conversation with him."

She swallowed and nodded. "Thank you for letting me know."

"Sure. No problem."

()()()

Carol headed back inside after she stomped her cigarette out, expecting to find Daryl waiting for her in the lobby. No one was in there. She walked to the piercing room where Merle and Tara were chatting it up with Mike. "Have you seen Daryl?" She asked, remaining as calm as possible.

"Think he's still in the bathroom." Merle muttered. "Probably taking shit or puking his guts out."

Carol walked out of the piercing room and knocked on the bathroom door, seeing the light was still on and hearing the fan running. "Daryl? You okay in there?" No answer. "Hey, it's me, let me know you're alright and not passed out on the floor or anything.

The door opened slowly and he was standing behind it grinning, then he pulled her inside. His shirt was still off from where he'd had his nipple pierced. He eagerly pressed her lips on his, sloppily kissing her until he had her pressed against the wall, grinding his hips into her.

He'd taken her completely by surprise with his over eager approach. He moved his assault on her mouth to her neck, then slowly slipped his hand under her dress, trying to work his way up to her panties. "Daryl." She groaned, pushing her dress down. "Stop. Not here. Not right now."

"Come on." He begged, suckling her neck. "I been wanting you all night. You look so damn good in this dress."

She pushed his hand down. "Not right now. Okay?"

He stopped, blinking at her several times, his voice came out edgy. "Why don't you want me anymore? Are you into someone else?"

"What are you talking about?" She almost laughed at his claim that she didn't want him, it was utterly ridiculous, but she stopped herself. "Don't you remember this morning?"

"Yeah." He grumbled. "But that was before. Ever since you went and met up with Shawn you been acting weird. You didn't want me touching you at the bar we played beer pong at. You don't want me touching you now. You don't wanna move in my room with me. You won't get matching nipple piercings with me." His eyes flicked down to the tile floor and his voice grew low and quiet. "Is it because Merle's right?"

She recalled her conversation with Denise only moments before and anger surged through her body. "Is Merle right about what?" She wasn't able to hide her anger or irritation this time.

"That you don't really love me." He got out, barely above a whisper. "That I'm just some…some rebound. I was just the first guy you stumbled on after you got your heart broke and you're gonna find someone better for you."

"Daryl…"

He cut her off. "Because that fucking hurts hurt me to even think that. It hurts like hell, right here." He pounded his chest, wincing as his fist connected with his freshly pierced nipple.

She walked up to him and caught his face in her palms, forcing him to look at her. "That's not true, Daryl. I love you. I told you I did and I meant it. More than I ever thought I could. Every lyric in that song I sang tonight. That's how I feel about you. About us."

He exhaled, leaning his forehead against hers. "You promise? Because I don't know what I'd do if I lost you…lost this." He grabbed her hands in his and kissed them. "Spent my whole life trying to make sure I didn't ever feel this way about anyone. I didn't ever want someone to be this important to me. But the moment I met you everything changed for me. Every fucking thing. Who I was. What I thought was important to me. What I thought I was or wasn't capable of doing…And I just….don't know what I'd do if you..." He stopped talking, feeling himself growing too emotional. He was way too fucking drunk right now.

"Hey?." She assured him, gently pecking his lips. "It's okay. I'm not going anywhere. Only way I'd do that is if you decided to get rid of me." She teased.

He let out a huge sigh of relief. "Carol, can I tell you something?"

"Yeah. Anything."

"I think I'm gonna be sick." No sooner than the words left his mouth he was spewing vomit all over the himself, the floor, and her.

 **(Just throwing this out there. I do not own Shinedown, or their song I'll follow you. I just happen to like them and was listening to this song months ago while writing and had the idea for her to sing it to Daryl on his birthday. I also do not own Johnny Paycheck or Old Violin, nor any characters from TWD, or anything else I mentioned that may be copyrighted.**

 **Believe it or not, we're really getting close to the end.** **Thanks for those of you still reading.**


	69. Chapter 69

Carol gagged, reaching deep within herself to bite back the bile rising in her own throat. Her dress was ruined, covered in a mixture or brown liquid and the shrimp fried rice Daryl had eaten place they went before they'd come downtown. The floor was also covered in vomit, as well as Daryl's bare chest and abdomen, which were dripping with the contents he'd just emptied from his gut. She was pretty sure there was a whole, regurgitated shrimp resting above his belly button.

She groaned and rushed towards the sink to clean herself with soapy paper towels. "Damn it, Daryl. You couldn't have made it to the toilet?" She muttered, grimacing as she wiped herself clean the best she could. When he didn't answer, she flicked her eyes up from her freshly stained dress just in time to see him on his knees hovering in front of toilet, wrenching again.

"Sorry." He muttered, rather pitifully. "Didn't mean to. Are you mad at me?"

An agitated sigh escaped her lips, but she didn't answer him. Instead, she lathered up a few paper towels with soap and water and took them to him while he continued to kneel in front of the toilet. She crouched down, brushed his bangs out of his face, and placed the paper towels in his hand. "You think you can clean yourself up a little?"

"Mhm." He blinked his eyes a few times, almost as if he was struggling to keep himself awake.

She watched as he moved to rest his head on the toilet and she grabbed his shoulder, giving him a firm shake. "Daryl, wake up."

He picked his head up and looked at her apologetically. "Didn't mean to puke on you." He muttered.

"I know." She assured him, trying to hide how deeply annoyed she was right now. She grabbed the paper towels she'd given him that were loosely clutched in his hand and went to work wiping his mouth, then chest. She had to abandon her job momentarily to get more paper towels, the one's she'd been using quickly became soiled and unusable, and when she turned back around she heard a loud thud and found him leaning against the wall. Arms limp at his sides, eyes barely fluttering open.

"Are you mad at me?" He repeated in a barely audible slur as she started to clean his abdomen.

"Don't worry about that right now. I just wanna get you cleaned up so we can go home. You need to go to bed."

"You…going to bed…with me?"

"Well, someone has to make sure you don't choke on your own vomit, and I'm betting it won't be Merle. So, yes, Daryl, I'm going to bed with you." She wiped the inside of his pant leg, where a small amount of his bodily fluids had landed.

"Gonna do more of that when we get to bed?" He grinned, lopsidedly.

"Yeah, because I'm so turned on after being barfed on and cleaning you up like you're a two-year old. That's exactly what I'm in the mood for right now." She muttered through clenched teeth. She knew he hadn't purposefully hurled on her, and tomorrow he was probably going to be horrified she'd had to clean him up like he was a child, but she wasn't exactly thrilled with their current position either. And she was rather livid with his brother at the moment.

In his drunken state he didn't catch her sarcasm. "Just so you know…you're gonna…..I mean..you gotta…you gotta be on top…I think I'll get sick again if I am."

The fact that he seriously thought this was happening when they got home earned a small smirk from her. "Daryl, if you could even perform like you are right now, I'd bend over and kiss Merle right on the ass with a smile on my face."

He made a kissy face at her. "Better pucker up, sweetheart. I could go to town on that shit right now."

She ignored him, not wanting to encourage him to pounce her again, not that she really thought he could even stand on his own right now. She walked over to him, bending down to try and help him up, but it was no use. He was deadweight. "Come on, stand up. You gotta help me out a little here."

"I can't." He whined. "My legs feel like lead and I'm all woo….woozy. You know? Woozy is a funny word. Who the fuck came up with that shit?" He snickered to himself. "It kinda sounds like boobies."

She rubbed her temples and sucked in a deep breath. "You think you'll be okay in here alone for a second? I'll be right back. I'm gonna go get your brother."

"I don't wanna share you with Merle!"

"Not for that." She hissed. "Can you stop thinking about sex for two fucking seconds? Good Lord, Daryl."

()()()

"Chicks really dig that?" Merle asked Mike, the artist that had pieced and tattooed his younger brother.

Mike smirked and pointed to his nether regions. "Hits the G spot every single time. Drives women crazy. Shit, it even feels better for me."

'Fuck it! I'm in if you got time to do it." Merle looked over to Tara and Denise, who'd been standing with him as he talked to the man. "Ladies, you might wanna cover your eyes while I whip Merle JR out. It just might turn you straight." He grinned, lecherously and winked at Tara. "On second thought, why don't you take a peek. I wouldn't mind getting a three-way in tonight."

"Come here, Merle Dixon." Carol growled, walking into the piercing room, staring the elder Dixon down, her eyes a cold, icy blue color.

"I'm a little busy, darling. I'm about to get my dick pieced right now. Why don't you drag baby brother in here too? He might as well add to his collection." His eyes landed on the giant wet spot on her dress. "What the fuck happened? Did you two fuck in the bathroom and then he pulled out and blew his load all over you or something?"

Carol found no amusement at his words. If she was a man, she probably would have knocked that smug look off of his face. "Get your ass in the bathroom right fucking now and help me drag your drunk as brother up and get him home before I shove my foot so far up your ass you'll be shitting out my high hells for a week. You understand me?" She shook an angry finger at him. "And when we get back to MY house. The one I share with Daryl. The one you'll be leaving tomorrow. You and I are gonna have a nice little chat about all the shit you've been putting in his head." She turned her attention to Mike. "By the way, there's a small sea of vomit on your floor. I cleaned myself and Daryl up the best I could, but you're probably gonna need a mop for the rest of it.

()()()

Carol was actually a little surprised when Merle didn't protest or blow back up at over how she'd gone off on him in front of everyone. But she'd been more than prepared to bite right back at him if he'd gotten nasty with her. She wasn't in the mood right now and she really just wanted to get Daryl home and put him to bed and to change herself into something that didn't smell like a mixture of whiskey, shrimp fried rice, and stomach acid.

Merle made a disgusted look at the puddle of vomit on the floor when he walked in the bathroom to get his little brother up off of the floor. That shit was gnarly. It was almost enough to make him gag. But he couldn't help but grin when he saw his brother leaning against the wall by the toilet. Head slouched where his chin was tucked to his chest. He walked over and gently slapped his brother on the face. "You pitiful bastard. Let's get your fucked up ass home."

Daryl cracked an eye open and raised his brow at Merle as his older brother was lifting him off the ground. "What are you doing in here? Where's Carol?"

"I'm right here." She replied, reaching down and grabbing him by the other arm to help pull him to his feet.

Merle flung one of Daryl's arms over his shoulder and steadied him on his feet. His brother swayed when he eased back on some of the support he was providing him. "Easy now. You gotta help yourself a little. I ain't carrying you all the way back to the damn house."

"I feel like shit, man."

"Yeah, well you look like it too. Now come on. Move your fucking feet and let's get your drunk ass home."

()()()

They tried to call a cab, but the next one wasn't going to be available for another thirty minutes to an hour. Their house was only a ten-minute walk from downtown, probably more like fifteen with the two of them lugging around Daryl, but in the end they decided to just help him make the walk home instead of waiting for the cab.

Tara and Denise had offered to help them make the walk, but they had assured the girls they could handle him on their own. Once they had him upright and started moving Daryl finally stared forking out more of an effort to move his legs, though he would have more than likely fallen over if they weren't holding him up.

Merle bitched and gripped about carrying him almost the entire way home. Daryl babbled randomly the entire walk, some of which was inaudible. But what could be understood was him switching from telling them both how much he loved them, and how much he loved Hershel and Maggie and Annette, and Glenn, and Rick (who was being referred to as son of a bitch who busted his lip), to complaining about how much he hated Biochemistry, to wondering why they didn't make mouse flavored cat food. Carol spent most of her walk shooting angry glares at Merle and blaming him for how drunk Daryl was. Which resulted in bickering between the two of them.

Merle held Daryl up once they reached the door step of the house so Carol could reach into Daryl's pocket and pull out his keys. While she was unlocking the door, Daryl swayed again in his brother's arms and Merle grunted. "I should drop your ass for making me fall on my busted lip that day when we were playing volleyball."

"Don't you dare drop him!" Carol warned, opening the door so Merle could walk Daryl inside.

"I think I'mma be sick again." Daryl muttered as Merle walked him in the house, causing the elder Dixon to release his younger brother from his grip. Daryl collapsed, hitting the floor with a bang before Carol could catch him. He dry-heaved several times before finally emptying more liquid.

"Why'd you drop him like that?" She hissed at Merle.

"He was gonna puke on me. That shit's sick."

She huffed and stormed off in the kitchen to grab some towels to clean up his mess. When she came back in Daryl had either crawled his way to the couch or Merle had helped him up there. She was going with the former being accurate rather than the latter.

When she was finished cleaning and sanitizing the floor she cast her gaze in Merle's direction. He was sitting in the recliner beside the couch Daryl was laying on. "I'm going to change. Please don't let him throw up on the couch if he gets sick. Help him to the bathroom."

Merle didn't respond, but nodded. Reaching into his jeans and pulling out a cigarette, then proceeding to light it. He saw the disapproving look Carol was throwing at him and rolled his eyes. "Detective fucking Grimes ain't here right now. Let me have a damn smoke in peace after carrying that son of a bitch home. You know you don't want me to leave him alone while you change."

She didn't argue. She just stomped off to Daryl's room. She felt like she'd been a huge bitch tonight, from constantly telling Daryl no or asking him not to do something, to all of her bickering with Merle. But she couldn't help it. Merle was enough to irk your nerves and put you in a shitty mood. And she'd been trying to stop Daryl from getting this sick in the first place by trying to get him not to drink so much. And she didn't wanna screw him in those bathrooms with their friends and God knows who else right outside. She had a right to not want sex if she wasn't in the mood.

She kept trying to ease her mind about it all and let herself know she had a good reason for how she felt, because she knew the moment Daryl fell asleep she and Merle were about to throw down over him telling Daryl that she didn't love him and that he didn't mean anything to her. She was irate about that. What if he would have done something stupid because of it? What if he would have ended things with her because of it?

She changed into one of Daryl's shirts she'd hijacked that she liked to sleep in, then slide on a pair of boy shorts and made her way back into the living room. Daryl was lying flat on his stomach and Merle was still smoking in the recliner, using a coke can as an ash tray. She walked over and rubbed Daryl's back softly. "Come on. Let's put you in bed."

"I don't wanna move." He mumbled.

"I know, but you need sleep. Get up."

"Nuh uh."

She could tell he had no intention of moving and an idea entered her brain to give him some motivation. "I thought you said you wanted to fool around when we got home. We can't do that in here with your brother watching."

"Just…give me five….five minutes."

Well, if that didn't get him up and moving nothing would. "I'm gonna go get us some pillows and blankets. You can just sleep on the couch."

"I don't want you to leave. I want you stay right here….with me." His voice came out child-like and needy. But that wasn't much of a contrast from his personality right now. She could live without him ever getting this drunk again the rest of his life.

"I'm not leaving. Just let me get the stuff. I'll be right back." She walked into her closet and snagged two plush Christmas blankets she had stored away. Her step-mom thought they made wonderful Christmas gifts and gave her a new on each year. She took two pillows off her bed on the way out of the door. She covered Daryl with a blanket, then sat on the end of the couch next to him. He clawed his way up the couch and rested his head in her lap and she let hers hit the back of the couch. She was exhausted herself at this point.

"Don't leave me." He murmured as she kneaded her fingers through his hair. He was barely conscious now and she knew he'd fall over the edge into a blissful sleep any minute now. "I love you…..so….fucking….much."

"I know you do. You've only told me a hundred times tonight." She laughed, continuing to run her fingers through his hair. "I love you, too. If I didn't you'd still be covered in your own puke. Now, go to sleep."

()()()

Within ten minutes Daryl was out like a light. His breathing deep and rhythmic, mouth slightly gaping, as his head continued to rest in Carol's lap.

Merle, who'd been channel surfing, turned his attention to Carol. "You can go to bed. I'll sleep in here with him."

She narrowed her eyes on him. "Like you were supposed to hold him and then dropped him when he was going to puke? No thanks. I'll stay in here with him."

"Suit yourself." He huffed, he was about to start flicking through the channels again, when he noticed she was still running her fingers through Daryl's hair. He shook his head and let out a low whistle. "You really must fucking love him? After all that puke you cleaned up tonight and how much you're babying his stupid ass, ain't no way I'd have ever done that for no bitch and I ain't ever had no bitch do anything like that for me."

"No shit I love him." She growled. "I wouldn't have told him that if I didn't. And since we're on that subject." She spat, keeping her voice as low as possible so she didn't wake Daryl. "How dare you think you know a damn thing about me, Merle Dixon. How dare you tell your brother I don't really care about him and that he's just some rebound to me. You have no idea how much I care about him. I'd never do anything to hurt him. Ever. Do you know how much trouble that could have caused us? We've had enough opposition to the idea of us from my brother. We don't need you fucking things up."

"That's exactly my point." He replied, flatly. "I don't fucking know you."

"What?"

"Oh, come on. You're one of those smart bitches. Don't make me spell it out." She was still staring at him so he decided to elaborate. "I don't fucking know you, Carol. Not a damn thing about you other than the fact you just moved her from a completely different state because your old man cheated on you. What the hell am I supposed to think when you start riding my little brother's dick the moment you get into town?"

"It wasn't the moment. We waited almost two weeks." She mumbled.

"Pfft. Yeah, That ain't much better."

"Are you trying to say I'm some kinda whore?"

"No. I ain't. The opposite really. My guess is, old dude in New York popped your cherry. One of those first love types. Broke you to pieces when he started sticking it elsewhere. You came crawling to my baby brother for comfort because he's got this reputation. Love them and leave them type. You figure you can let him fuck you real good one time, you feel better about yourself, he gets off. No harm no foul. Am I right?"

She flicked her eyes away from Merle and down at the sleeping man in her lap. She tugged at her bottom lip. "You're not completely right, but you're not wrong either."

"No?"

"No." She repeated. "Ed…..he was…he was my first. Love and sexual partner. And yes, I was hurt when he cheated. But, not for the reason you might think. Not because it was some great loss. I mean, it was a loss. It was who I was comfortable with. It was what I knew. But he wasn't…he wasn't…by the end of our relationship I wasn't exactly head over heels in love with him either. We'd grown apart the past year and a half. To be honest, one of us should have ended it way before he cheated."

"Are you seriously trying to tell me you didn't care?"

"I'm not saying that. No. No, I did care. I felt hurt someone I thought I knew so well could hide something like that from me. That someone that told me he loved me every day could be sleeping with another woman behind my back and telling her the same thing. I mean, even if there was this space between us, this distance, I still thought I could trust him. I wouldn't have done something like that to him. You know? I wouldn't have hurt him. And it just….it made me feel unattractive. Like I wasn't fulfilling him sexually so he had to look elsewhere. But I can't say that I felt like I lost the great love of my life when things ended."

"Why'd you wanna run fuck my brother then?" He asked, sounding skeptical.

She grinned at him. "Have you seen your brother?"

Merle snorted. "Gotta admit. He's the pretty one. Women have always been lining up left and right waiting to get a turn."

She shook her head at that, though she knew it was true. It still made her a little uncomfortable knowing that there were so many women out there that probably wanted him for a night. She'd seen some women checking him out tonight and she couldn't help but feel small tinges of jealously, even if she didn't speak out about them.

"Yeah, well I guess I was one of them." She chuckled. "And you are right about what I thought. At first anyway. I figured he'd be an easy lay and it was a good fit because he wasn't looking for anything serious. Rick told me that from the get go. That's why he didn't want me to sleep with him. He thought I'd fall for him and he'd hurt me."

Merle hummed. "That's the thing. People think they know Daryl. Think they know his MO. How he works. But he ain't as simple as most people make him out to be. Boy's got a soft side. A tender heart. He always has. When we were kids and we'd find baby birds and squirrels that fell out of trees, I'd be ready to shoot them with my BB gun. Put them out of their misery. Not Daryl. No sir. He'd take the little shits home and try and raise them himself. I never understood it. How he could go out hunting with me and then do something like that. But he said it's because they deserve a chance."

"He likes to hunt but he always eats what he kills." Carol added. "He doesn't just do it for fun."

"He tell you that?"

She nodded.

"He tell you he used to get into fights when he was a kid? Not because he was like me and went around picking them, but because he couldn't stand to see people getting picked on. Somebody was fucking around bullying another kid, a weaker kid, Daryl would jump in. Break that shit up really quick." Merle popped the legs on the recliner up and stretched out. "I always knew he'd fall head over heels for some bitch someday. I figured he'd work up the nerve to talk to some broad eventually or she'd talk to him, then she'd pop his cherry and that would be it. She'd control him and get all she could then toss him to the side like a used rubber."

Carol felt herself grow defensive. "I'm not using him."

"Calm your tits, lady. I wasn't talking about you. I was just saying, I always thought that's what would happen. So, when he was eighteen and still a virgin I decided to take matters into my own hands before he went off to college."

"So, you did pay that stripper to sleep with him?"

Merle grinned mischievously. "Nah, not technically. I mean, Candy had reputation for deflowering awkward teenage fucks like him. She got her rocks off from it or some shit. Who knows. Anyway, I paid her to be the stripper and all. Handed her a condom just in case. But I didn't pay her to fuck him per say."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Such a good brother."

"It was me being a good brother, damn it. Fucking that stripper gave him confidence from hell. You should have seen him after. He was like a little jack rabbit. Ready to stick it wherever. I was proud. And it showed him that getting laid is fun and a hell of a lot easier than all the hassle of a relationship brings. You don't get hurt if you don't get attached. He's a smart kid. He got that…until you came along. I don't know what the fuck you're throwing, but it must be a hell of a piece to tame him."

She wasn't sure if that was a compliment or an insult. She was going to choose it as some sort of twisted compliment. "Things with us…they just…I don't know…they fit. For both of us. Ever since that first time…it was just…right. We slept together twice that night. He said he's never slept with the same girl more than once before me."

"He hasn't." Merle agreed. "He was worse than me on that. I mean, I'll fuck a girl five or six times. Shit maybe even ten. Daryl…he wouldn't. Think he was scared if he hung around he might end up catching feelings or some shit."

"I really do love him, Merle. And even from the first time we were together it was more than sex for me. Even if I couldn't admit it at the time. There was something there with him. Something I fought like hell to tell myself wasn't there. Because of who he was. Because of Rick. Because of what I'd been through. I didn't wanna get hurt again either. I didn't wanna make my brother mad or hurt him. I wasn't planning on falling for him. But it happened and I wouldn't change it for anything now."

Merle nodded. "I get that. I do. After tonight…I see that you care about him. Really care about him. And I know damn well that he loves you. Never seen him look at something the way he looks at you. And it scares the hell out of me for him. Because I don't wanna see him get hurt. I might be a grade A asshole, but for most of my life he's the only person that's meant shit to me. And I want what's best for him. Always have. Always will. He's had enough pain in his lifetime. Don't care to see him go through anymore."

She swallowed thickly. "Neither do I. I know about your parents. Your mom leaving. Your dad….the scars on his back. I know. And I know you love him, because I know my brother loves me and he's a controlling asshole sometimes, too. But you need and Rick need to know that this thing with Daryl was the most unexpected thing to happen to me, to us, but it's one of the most amazing things I've ever felt and that neither of us is giving that up."

"You shouldn't have lied to you brother. It was a shitty thing to do on both of your parts."

"No shit." She deadpanned.

"Just saying." He shrugged.

"And what are you lying about?" She challenged.

"Huh?"

"You're lying to Daryl about something. He knows it."

"The fuck are you talking about?"

"Don't play coy. You told Daryl you're here for his birthday. But he thinks there is more to it than that. And you know what? I think he's right. He said you don't just drop in like that and the whole time you've been here you've been a little too preoccupied with what's going on with me and Daryl. Seems to me like you've been trying to distract yourself from whatever the hell you've got going on."

"You don't know jack shit. I just came to visit my brother. That's all."

"I just spilled my guts out to you about things I owed you no explanation for. Don't you look me in the eye and lie to me." She watched as he sighed heavily and reached into his back pocket. She assumed he was going for his cigarettes again, but instead, he pulled out a black leather wallet and tossed it to her. "What's this?"

"Open it. Look at the picture in the middle."

Her brows crinkled as her eyes landed on the picture in the middle. For a split second she felt her stomach drop. "Please tell me this isn't…"

"It ain't….it ain't his….it's…she's…mine."

Carol's eyes bore into the picture of a blond haired, blue eyed little girl with curly locks. The familiarity was there in piercing blue eyes that shone back at her from the photo. It's why fear had taken over and she'd wondered if it was Daryl's. But looking closer, the eyes were more like Merle's. Less squinty. A slightly lighter shade of blue than Daryl's. "I…I didn't know you had a daughter."

"Well, that makes two of us."

She glanced back up at him. "How old is she?"

"Five. She'll be six this fall."

"Her mother just told you after all this time?"

He ran a hand over his short hair. "That night at the lake I got so pissed at Daryl when he mentioned me cheating on that girl, Andrea. She's the mama. My high school girlfriend."

Carol didn't know what to say, so she slowly handed him his wallet back.

"We weren't together long. A few months. But I was fucking crazy about her. I loved her. Thought I did anyway."

"Why did you cheat on her? She asked him carefully.

"I was eighteen. Bout to go to basic training. She was sixteen. She still had a year left in school. Her family fucking hated me. Labeled me as trailer trash. Another no good Dixon boy who'd grow up to be a drunk that beat on his wife until she left him one day. Tried to keep us apart from the moment we got together. We had to sneak around. And believe me, we did. All the fucking time." He shook his head, as if trying to shake off some painful memory. "My buddies wanted to throw me a party the night before I was supposed to leave for basic. I let them. Fuck, I was going away for weeks. Then I was all set to get stationed over-seas. I figured why the fuck not. I deserved. It."

"Something happened at the party?"

"Yep. There was this girl. I barely remember what she looks like now. Damn sure don't remember her name. But she was all over me all night. Throwing herself at me. I got trashed. Got high. Took some E. Snorted some coke. I was living it up. Of course Andrea wasn't there. Her parents had her on lockdown. Old girl kept coming on to me. My buddies were giving me hell for not taking it. Finally, I said fuck it. Did her right there in front everyone in the living room. Bent her over the couch. I wasn't thinking about Andrea. I was thinking about me. Thinking about the fact I wasn't gonna get laid again for a while. Besides, I knew once I was gone Andrea and me wouldn't last. We might send a few letters here and there, but she was still in high school and she was gonna move on."

"Did you tell her?"

"The next day, yeah. I felt like shit after I woke up and remembered what I did. All I could think about was how much I didn't wanna lose her. Figured it would be better coming from me than someone else. It was a small town. Shit would've gotten back to her. No sense in trying to hide it. She cried. Cried so fucking much. I didn't know a woman could hold so many damn tears. She screamed at me. Told me to get out and never talk to her again. And that was that. I left for basic a few hours later and until a couple weeks ago I hadn't talked to her since."

"She kept her pregnancy from you as punishment?" That sounded a little harsh to Carol. Even if she was hurt, Merle had a right to know about his kid.

"Nah. It wasn't like that. Her parents found out and they moved away. Made her promise not to contact me. They told her if she did they wouldn't help her with the kid. She was just a fucking kid herself. She needed their help. So, she listened. Said when she turned nineteen and got a place of her own and on her feet some she started looking for me. I was out of the army by then, but I moved around a lot. Didn't have a permanent address. She gave up for a while. But the girl started school this past year. Other kids are always asking her about her daddy. She got curious and started hounding her mama. She started looking again and finally found me."

"I'm sorry."

"Eh. It's probably for the best anyway. I was fucked up for a while. Wouldn't have been no good for the kid. And now…well, now I'm clean. Got a decent job. I've had my own place for a while…But then this shit pops up and rocks my damn world and I don't know what the fuck to do. Andrea, she lives about forty-five minutes from y'all. She wants me to come meet the kid….And I was going to…I was…but I don't know. I don't know what the fuck I'm supposed to say to that little girl. How to explain why I wasn't there."

"I wish I knew that to tell you. I can't say I have any idea how you're feeling. But as a little girl who lost her mom at a young age, I can tell you this. She's probably just gonna be happy to have her dad in her life and have a chance to get to know him. It might be late, but it's better than never."

"You and Rick have a mom. I've heard him talk about her. Ain't that where he's at right now?

"No…Rick has a mom. I have a step-mom. My mom was in a car accident when I was three or four. I can't really remember how old I was. It wasn't talked about much after she passed."

"Damn. That sucks."

"It's okay. It was a long time ago and I don't really remember her. I just brought it up to make the point that I'm sure your daughter would love to have chance to know you."

"Appreciate it." He murmured. "Just do me a favor. Don't tell Daryl about all this. Let me."

"It's not my business to tell him. It's a family thing. But you should talk to him about it before you leave. I think maybe he can help you sort it out better than I can." She watched as Merle nodded. "And I'm gonna need to do me a favor."

"What's that?"

"Next time you think you know something about me or where I stand with your brother. Come to me and ask me point blank before you go filling his head with shit."

"Noted."

Silence settled between them briefly until Carol broke it. "Hey, Merle?"

"Hmm?"

"Why'd you tell me all that? You don't even like me."

"Argh, now I never once said I didn't like you." He saw the disbelieving look she was giving him. "Don't look at me like that. I thought we got things clear. I like you just fine. You're a spit fire and you're pretty fuckable. Little brother did good. It's a perfect combination. Just didn't want you hurting Daryl. Now that I know you won't, I might as well be nice to you. Besides, with how sprung he is, I got a feeling you're gonna end up being my sister one day and I've always kinda wanted a little sister."


	70. Chapter 70

**Thanks for reading/reviewing. Here's another!**

Loud, repetitive clanking noises had Daryl stirring the next morning. The unwanted racket made him hyper aware of just how much his head was pounding. It was like he had a tiny band beating on drums inside of his skull.

He groaned from the pain and rolled over. He used one arm to reach behind his head for another pillow to place over his ear and drown out whatever the fuck was causing the noise. He was going to use his other arm to reach for Carol and pull her closer to him. The last few days they'd been sharing his bed and he'd woken up with her pressed flush against him. This morning, he didn't feel her next to him and assumed she rolled away from him sometime during the night.

To his surprise, both hands came up empty. No other pillow could be found behind his head and his girl wasn't within arms reach. Suddenly, he was aware that he wasn't in his own bed. Or a bed at all, even. He could feel the cool leather of the couch against his abdomen and the warmth of a fuzzy blanket cocooned around his body. He hadn't bothered to force his eyes open yet, but he could hear the creaking of a ceiling fan swirling.

Panic settled in as he realized he couldn't really remember where he was or how he'd gotten there. In fact, everything about last night seemed to be a blur in his mind. He popped his eyes open and pushed himself up on his elbows, taking in his surroundings. He breathed a sigh of relief when he realized he was in his living room, wrapped in one of those hideous Christmas blankets Carol's step-mom had given her. He snatched his elbows out from under him and let himself fall flat on his belly.

When his chest connected with the couch a searing pain shot through his body causing him to violently shoot up. He hissed and cussed, snapping his eyes down to his chest to inspect where the source of pain was being derived from. His eyes grew wide when he looked down and saw how red and inflamed his left nipple was, a metal barbell sticking straight through it.

He looked himself over, frantically searching his body for any other new additions that he didn't have the day before. His eyes landed on the white bandage covering the inside of his right bicep. He peeled it back carefully, fearful of what his mind may have thought was a good idea to mark his body with for the rest of his life last night. He was relieved to see it was just the devil tattoo he'd actually been wanting to get.

All of the sudden movements were jarring his senses and he felt himself grow dizzy and light headed. He rested his elbows on his knees and let his head collapse into his hands. "What the fuck happened last night?" He muttered to himself.

"You got piss drunk, that's what." Merle answered for him, taking a step into the living room with his brother.

Daryl glanced up at his brother. Merle was in his boxers and a white wife-beater, sipping from a navy blue coffee mug. He looked awfully bright and cheerful compared to the steaming pile of shit Daryl felt like.

"You remember anything?"

Daryl shook his head slowly, but even the gentle motion of rocking his head caused it to throb even more. At least he didn't feel like puking. There was that to be thankful for.

Merle chuckled. "Damn it boy! You were fucked up."

"No shit?." He pointed to his freshly pierced nipple. "Why the fuck do I have a nipple ring?"

Merle shrugged. "Said you wanted one. Carol tried to stop you. But you wanted her to to get her titties pierced and you thought if you got yours done she'd want hers done. You tried to get her to get a tattoo, too."

He arched a brow. "She didn't...did she?"

"Fuck no! She wasn't even drunk. She stayed sober to babysit your pitiful ass all night. She had to be fucking miserable."

Daryl's stomach dropped as a thought crossed his mind. "I wasn't...I wasn't a dick to her was I?"

Merle continued to sip his coffee. "Nah, you wasn't mean to her or nothing. She's still probably a little pissed at you, though."

"What'd I do?"

"Bragged about that little whip cream blow job she gave you, wouldn't stop drinking even though she asked to like five times, tried to feel her up in front of everyone in Sidebar, puked all over her and ruined her dress."

"Fuck. I really puked all over her?"

Yep. Yourself, too...and the bathroom floor at the tattoo shop. We had to drag your lazy ass back here. Then you puked on the floor again."

Small flashes started playing in his mind as Merle talked. Hazy images, but nothing concrete. He vaguely remembered Carol on stage with Shawn's band. A snippet of him and Merle on stage, arms around each other singing some old country song. Had that been real? Then a book of tittie and dick piercings being shoved in his face. He shook the images off. "Carol in her room?"

"Yours. You begged her to sit on the couch with you after you crawled up here and wouldn't get in your bed. Kept mumbling something about not wanting her to leave you. She sat with you and played with your hair until you feel asleep. She stayed up a while after. Me and her was talking. She finally nodded off, too. Didn't wanna leave your bitch ass even though I kept telling her you'd be fine. I carried her to bed when I was sure she wouldn't wake up. Her neck would've hurt like a bitch if she slept sitting up like that."

Daryl's brow furrowed and his tone grew aggressive. "You better not have been trying to fuck shit up with us with whatever talk the two of you had. I swear to God, Merle, if you did I'll.."

Merle rolled his eyes and tossed a hand up. "Chill the fuck out. It wasn't like that. We had a good talk. Cleared the air. We're good. Total besties now."

Daryl looked skeptical.

"She's a good woman, little brother. Really. She loves you. I get. She has to the way she put up with all the shit she did last night. You know she never even yelled at you or raised her voice? Not once. I'd have shoved your face in your vomit and told you to walk it off."

"That's because you're an asshole."

"Touché" Merle grumbled. After a moment of silence he cleared his throat and leveled his eyes with Daryl's. "I need to talk to you about something when you're feeling up to it. Kinda important."

Another memory from last night flashed in Daryl's mind. One of him and Merle walking down a sidewalk and Merle saying he should move in and take Carol's room and Carol should move into his room. And Daryl remembered drunkenly agreeing to it. Fuck. He really hoped that wasn't what this was about. He loved Merle to death, but he honestly wasn't sure he could live with his brother. He wouldn't tell him no. If he needed a place, he'd cave and let him, but it didn't mean he'd be excited about it. "What'd you wanna talk about?" He carefully asked.

Merle sucked in a deep breath and put his coffee mug down. He took a seat on the couch beside his younger brother. "Need to tell you why I really came here. You was right. It wasn't just for your birthday."

()()()

Daryl had been shocked to say the least about Merle's story about Andrea and the daughter he hadn't known about. He'd stared at the picture in awe when Merle tossed the wallet in front of him. That little girl looked a lot like her mama, the curly, blond hair, the big, toothy smile, but those eyes, they were all Dixon. All Merle.

He just shook his head when his brother was finished talking, not able to take his eyes away from the picture of his niece, a niece he'd had no clue existed only ten minutes earlier. "I can't believe your a daddy."

He whistled, lowly. "Me either baby brother. Shit hit me like a ton of bricks when I first found out. Felt like the wind got knocked out of. Would've been that way if it was anyone calling me to tell me that. But this ain't anybody. This is Andrea. Mine and Andrea's kid. Anyone else, I'd think they were lying. Trying to pin shit on me and get money. But Andrea ain't got no reason to. She could've found someone way better to lay that on."

Daryl closed the wallet, handing it back to Merle and offering his brother an apologetic look. "About what I said at the lake house...Man, I shouldn't have.."

"Don't worry about it." He cut him off. "You was right. I was a dumbass back then. I fucked up."

He didn't agree or disagree, he simply changed the subject. "So, uh, what's her name? She go by Dixon?"

"Harrison, like her mama. Her parents would've shit a brick if she'd have given the kid the Dixon name." He scoffed. "First name's Audrey. Audrey Ray Harrison. She wanted to keep that whole A theme going her and Amy had going on." Merle ran his hands up and down his hairy legs. "It's probably a good thing she don't go by Dixon. Pretty shitty legacy to carry on anyway. Kid don't know what she's in for having me as an old man. Don't know what the fuck I'm doing. Probably ain't gonna be no better than ours. Already missed out on five years. Shit, at least our old man was there sometimes. I ain't been there at all."

"Hey?" Daryl growled. "We ain't him." Merle looked at him an Daryl shook his head firmly. "We ain't. Fuck how we was raised. Ain't got shit to do with the men we are now. That woman in my bed, I wouldn't ever put my fucking hands on her the way he did our mama and those other dumbass women who were stupid enough to mess around with him. Know why? Because I ain't him. You ain't gonna put your hands on your little girl either, because you ain't him. Never will be."

"I didn't say I thought I'd put my hands on her." He hissed. "But that don't mean shit, because you can fuck somebody up just fine without ever laying a damn hand on them. Hell, I'd have gladly taken a hit sometimes over some of the shit we had to listen to. At least it was over when he was done hitting us."

"Yeah? Well, you ain't gonna be that way either."

"How the fuck do you know?"

"Because you're my brother. I know you. You're a selfish fucking dickhead, but you've always been there for me. Always had my back and done right by me. Always protected me. Even when we were both kids. You'll do the same for your little girl. Hell, you would've from the jump if you'd have known. It ain't your fault you wasn't there. You didn't know. You can't hang that over your head."

Merle swiped a hand over his face. "I just don't know. I don't fucking know. You don't either, and you can't tell me you have a fucking clue, damn it! You know you'd be freaking out if you were finding out you had a kid."

"Hell yeah I'd be freaking out. It's scary as fuck, but you gotta man the fuck up and deal with it, Merle. You're twenty-four years old. You get a pass for not being there when you didn't know. But now? Now you do know. Now you got a responsibility. You wanna tell me I ain't got balls because I do right by my girlfriend? You ain't got no damn balls if you don't take your ass to meet that little girl of yours."

()()()

An hour later Carol had woken up and joined the boys in the living room. The three of them ended up going to the pizza place Glenn worked at and grabbing lunch. Now, they were all standing in front of the door as Merle was about to hit the road. He'd decided to do the right thing after his talk with Daryl and go meet his kid for the first time. Daryl was right, it was time to man the fuck up and take care of his responsibility.

As Merle stood in front of the door, he pulled his baby brother into a tight embrace. It wasn't something they did often, but at the moment, it felt right. "See you later baby brother."

Daryl patted Merle's back. "Take care of yourself, man. Call me and let me know how things go."

"Always." Merle mumbled, releasing Daryl from his tight grip. He looked between the couple. "You, uh, you might be seeing more of me now if things go good today. Your place is pretty close to Andrea and Audrey."

"You're welcome to stay with us anytime you're up this way visiting them." Carol genuinely offered. Since her talk with Merle last night they'd reached an understanding. Common ground. Genuine respect for one another.

"Thank you, darling." He pulled her in for a hug, too. He nodded towards Daryl. "Take care of yourself and that little shit for me. Will you?"

"You know I will." She laughed

Merle let her go and tossed his hand up. "I best be on my way. I'll see y'all later."

()()()

They waved goodbye to him and went settled on the couch together. Daryl had taken pain relievers earlier, but he still had a faint headache. He'd be happy laying around the house all day with Carol like this. He placed a kiss on her forehead and pulled her closer to him, being careful not to let her hit his nipple piercing. "Thank you for everything last night. Sorry I was a shit head."

"You're the most annoying drunk I've ever met in my life. I have no idea how you ever used to get laid when you were that wasted."

"I'm pretty cute." He grinned. "Women just want me."

She grinned back at him. "I'll give you that one."

"Seriously, though, I owe you for putting up with my ass and puking all over you."

"Hmm? Well, that does makes the second dress of mine you ruined, so I'd agree. You owe me big time."

"Just tell me what you want and it's done." He promised.

She leaned up and met his eyes, placing a hand on his chest. "I actually do need you to do something for me."

"What is it?"

"I wanna go to my parents. I left my phone at home last night when we went out and today when I woke up I had a ton of missed calls and texts from my dad. He wanted to know why I didn't come home with Rick yesterday. He said he'd really been looking forward to seeing me and that he'd come get me tomorrow if I wanted him to. But I don't want him to have to drive all the way down here."

He nodded. "If that's what you want, I'll take you. You gonna stay the weekend there?"

She fiddled her hands together. "I know you're a little hung over, but I'd really like to go today and stay until Sunday."

That was four days. He hadn't been away from her at all since she moved in. The thought of not seeing her for that long made his stomach twist a little, but he wasn't going to ask her to stay with him or come home sooner. It was a big deal she wanted to go in the first place. He could make it a few days without her. "Let me know when you're ready and I'll drive you up there."

"Thank you." She settled against his chest again. "I miss my dad and I was really looking forward to seeing him. And I think it'll give me and Rick a chance to talk. Make things right."

()()()

Two hours later Carol packed a book-bag full of clothes and toiletries and she and Daryl made the two hour drive to her parents house in King County. She'd never driven that far on a motorcycle before. She'd never been on the interstate on a motorcycle before. It was an exhilarating experience. Slightly terrifying, but still exhilarating.

Daryl pulled the bike to a stop in front of the house she grew up in. He switched it off and pushed the kickstand down. The house was a two-story brick home at the end of a cul de sac. He hopped off the bike first. Scanning his eyes around the neatly tended to yard. Flowers and gliding chairs scattered about the front porch and a white picket fence surrounding the back yard. "Me and you come from two completely different worlds. The trailer I grew up in is smaller than that damn porch."

She stepped in front of him, pulling her book-bag tighter against her shoulders. "Doesn't matter where we came from or who we were. All that matters is that we're in the same world now." She leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on his lips. "Do you remember what we talked about in the bathroom last night?"

He nodded. Slowly, throughout the day, most of hismemories of last night had returned to him.

"Good. Because I didn't want you to start thinking that way again while I was gone."

"Nah. You ain't gotta worry about that. I know you love me. What Merle said and all that alcohol just got to me a little."

"I do love you and I'll miss you while I'm here. Even if it's only a few days and it sounds ridiculous, I will."

"I know." He nodded. "Me too."

She pulled him in for a hug, burrowing her face in the crook of his neck. "Thank you again for bringing me."

"I'd do anything for you." He muttered against her skin. He put some space between them, then cupped her chin, catching her lips with his."

()()()

Rick was in the living room with his mom when he heard the rumble of an engine appraoching. He glanced away from the TV show they'd both been watching and up at her. "Are you expecting company?"

Patricia Grimes shook her head at her son. "I was just gonna ask you the same thing. Richard?" She called out to her husband, who was in another room. "Is someone supposed to be coming over."

"It might be Eugene Porter." He replied, from the kitchen. "He's supposed to drop those tools he borrowed back by the house."

When the rumble of the engine grew closer and then stopped abruptly in front of their house, Patricia's curiosity was peeked. It didn't sound like Eugene Porter's small sedan. It sounded a lot like her husband's own motorcycle. Patrica got up from her seat on the couch and spread the blinds apart far enough she could peer out of them.

She squinted her eyes to focus better and her jaw dropped when saw her step-daughter. "Oh my God! Rick! Richard! Come here! That's Carol...she's in our driveway...and she's...she's kissing some...some hoodlum with a motorcycle and the sleeves cut off of his shirt!"


	71. Chapter 71

Rick walked up behind his mother, standing four inches taller than her, he peeked over her head and out of the blinds. He sighed at the sight before him and slowly shook his head. "I'll be damned. You've gotta be shitting me."

She turned and glared at her son. "Language, Rick!" She scolded. "Honestly, what are they teaching you at that college you go to if you speak in front of your mother like that?"

"Sorry." He muttered.

Her eyes wandered back to the window and onto her step-daughter and the man she'd been kissing. Her voice grew high pitched and overly dramatic. "Oh my God! You don't think she hitch hiked here do you? That this...this delinquent looking boy is making her kiss him for some kind of payment?"

"Mom." Rick groaned. "He's not a delinquent or a hoodlum or a hooligan or whatever else you're gonna call him. That's just...Daryl." His voice dropped low and resentful. "And trust me, she's a very willing participant.

Richard Grimes had stepped behind his son and wife at some point and butted into their conversation, crossing his arms over his chest and narrowing his eyes on his son. "Daryl, as in your roommate? That Daryl?"

"Yeah." Rick muttered.

"As in the boy Lori described last Thanksgiving as someone who changed women more than he changed underwear?" Patricia shrieked.

Rick's brow furrowed and he shrugged. He wasn't up to discussing all of this right now. He was still pissed and didn't have many nice things to say about Daryl or Carol at the moment, so he was opting for silence.

Patricia sounded appalled. "So, what? She's just...just...screwing your roommate? And you weren't gonna tell us!"

Rick had clearly grown annoyed at this point and didn't bother hiding it. "You wanna know what's going on with Carol? Ask her, not me. I'm her brother, not her keeper."

()()()

Daryl pulled away and broke the kiss as a low rumble of thunder filled his ears. His eyes flicked upwards. The sky had been scattered about with dark gray clouds on the ride to Carol's house, but the sun had still been peeping out here and there. Now, the entire sky was bluish/gray and the sun had disappeared completely. He could see faint flashes of lighting in the distance and the atmosphere was starting to smell like rain.

His eyes were still trained to the sky, trying to decide what direction the storm was coming from and if he could hopefully miss it if he started on his way home now. A two hour drive in a storm didn't exactly sound appealing. "I best get going. You know how it is when you're on the bike and it's pouring down rain. Shit stings like hell." When his eyes darted away from the sky and back on her, he noticed something was off. Her eyes were worried, hands fidgety, teeth scraping over her bottom lip. If he didn't know better, he'd swear she was scared of the storm.

But he did know better. Her fears were limited to spiders, clowns, and tight spaces. And he didn't see IT hiding around the corner anywhere getting ready to pop out from behind a tree and lock her in a trench. "What's wrong?" He asked, softly.

She glanced towards her front door and gave him a weak smile. "Being here for four days is a long time when Rick and I are getting along. Now, that we aren't and I don't have him as a distraction...I guess I'm just...a little on edge. You know?"

"Mhm." He agreed. He knew all to well what it was like to be in a house you didn't wanna be in and didn't feel welcomed in. "Tell you what? You decide you ain't happy before Sunday, call me, I'll come get you."

"I can't ask you to do that. It's a long ride. I can tough it out. I lived here until I was eighteen. I can survive a few days."

"Nah." He insisted. "I'm serious, Carol. You ain't happy, things start being too shitty, call me. It ain't a fucking problem. I'd be more upset if you didn't call me and you felt like you had to put up with that shit. Family or not, you ain't gotta take being treated that way."

"Okay. I'll call you if I decide I wanna go home before then."

He searched her eyes. "Promise?"

She nodded. "I promise." She locked her pinky with his and smiled faintly. "Pinky swear."

Something was still off about the way she looked. Her eyes weren't bright like they normally were when she joked with him or did something cheesy. "What else is on your mind?"

"Nothing." She dismissed, rather quickly.

"Tell me." He prodded.

"Daryl, it's really nothing. Don't worry about it. I'm fine."

Thunder popped again loudly in the distance and the leaves of the oak tree in the front yard started to rustle."Carol." He sighed. "Just tell me. I don't wanna leave thinking something's wrong I don't know about and knowing I can't do a damn thing about for the next four days, but I gotta get out of here before this storm hits."'

()()()

Before she could answer him, she was distracted by her parents front door swinging open and her step-mother's shrill voice seeping into her ears. She grimaced the moment she saw her standing in front of the door, her dad and Rick in tow behind her. She was really hoping Daryl wouldn't have to deal with meeting her parents today. She wondered if Rick had already told them about her and Daryl and how much he hated that they were together, she was sure he had choice words he'd used concerning both of them if he had. She didn't want them to get off on the wrong foot with Daryl. It wouldn't be fair to have a bad opinion of him because Rick was mad at the two of them. And she was a little worried about how Rick and Daryl were going to respond to being in each others presence given what happened the last time they were around one another.

"Carol Lynn Grimes! Why didn't you call us and tell us you were on the way?" Patricia chastised. "And who is this boy you were just out here in a lip lock with? You didn't think that made him important enough to introduce us to?"

She shot daggers at the woman and fought the urge to snap at her. She flicked her eyes at her father, letting them grow more welcoming. "I just wanted to surprise you, daddy. You sounded really upset that I couldn't come when Rick did." She looked at her brother, trying to gauge if he'd given them a reason for why he came home earlier than expected and why Carol hadn't come with him. But Rick wouldn't meet her eyes. He kept them trained to the ground.

Her father smiled and started walking towards his daughter. "Well, I've gotta say, I am surprised." When he was in front of Carol he pulled her in for a warm hug. "It's a nice surprise, though. I've missed you."

Her voice was thick was emotion as her father's arms wrapped around her. She didn't feel like the almost twenty-three year old woman she was, instead, she felt like a little girl. "Missed you, too, daddy."

Richard let go of his daughter and turned his attention to the boy beside her. Sizing the young man up. Thunder clanked loudly, growing even closer. Richard extending his hand, his voice firm, but not unwelcoming. "I'm Carol's father. And you are?"

Daryl met the man's hand, giving it a solid shake. Though, internally, he felt like a ball of nerves. He'd never met a girls family before. And he really cared about this one, so he didn't want her parents to hate him, but he didn't exactly think he liked them very much either from what he'd heard about them. "Name's Daryl. Daryl Dixon." He glanced at Carol, then back at her father. "I'm her boyfriend."

"He's your boyfriend?" Patricia gasped. "You haven't even been broken up with Ed two whole months." She looked at her son. "Did you know she had a boyfriend?"

Rick finally looked up and met Carol's eyes, he saw the pleading look in them, begging him not to tell everything. "Yeah. Yeah, I did." He mumbled. "I guess you could say it surprised me, too, when I found out."

"Well." Carol didn't try and hide the resentment in her voice. "My dad had barely been broken up with my own mother for a month when you started dating him. That worked out just peachy for you, though. Didn't it?" She normally didn't get snappy or catty with her step-mom, no matter how worked up the woman got her. But attacking her relationship and feelings towards Daryl wasn't something that she could just sit back and take.

Richard shot both women a warning look and then turned his attention back to Daryl."Well, um, it's nice to meet you, Daryl. Why don't you come in and have dinner with us? I was just finishing up before you two got here."

"Yeah. Nice to meet you, too. And, ah, thanks for the offer and all." Daryl felt tiny rain drops start pelting his shirt." But, I, uh, I better be on my way. Looks like it might get bad." As if on que, the moment the words left Daryl's mouth it was as if the heaven's opened and rain started pouring down from the clouds. Drenching Daryl, Carol, and her father. All of whom were standing on the front lawn.

"Looks like you aren't going anywhere until this storm let's up." The older man called out. "It won't be safe." He nodded to the bike. "Put it under our carport and come inside. I'm sure we can find something dry for you to wear."

()()()

Patricia watched as Daryl moved his bike under the carport and followed Carol and her husband inside the front door. She looked Daryl up and down as he stepped inside the house, scrutinizing every detail of him. Her eyes widened in horror as they landed on the tattoo on his bicep. Her husband had walked to the bathroom and grabbed a towel for himself, Carol, and Daryl. Once he'd handed the towels out, Patricia stalked up beside him and hissed quietly into his ear. "Do you see that tattoo on his arm?"

"Yes, dear. I saw he has a tattoo."

"Did you see what it was of?" She didn't give him a chance to respond. "It's of Satan, Richard. Carol's new boyfriend." She made sure to make air quotes as she said the word boyfriend. "Has a tattoo of Lucifer himself on his bicep."

He swiped a hand over his face. "Its just a tattoo, Patricia. Doesn't mean that it means anything. He probably just thinks it looks cool. You know how kids are. Please? Don't start. I haven't seen my daughter since Christmas. Before that, I hadn't seen her for a year. I just wanna make it through the next few days without a blow up and enjoy having both kids in the house."

She scoffed. "Why are you telling me not to start? Didn't you hear the way she snapped at me out there? It was completely disrespectful. All I did was make an accurate comment."

"And all she did was point out a fact."

Patricia narrowed her eyes on her husband and huffed before storming into the next room.

()()()

While Carol's parents were distracted talking with one another, she took the opportunity to talk to her little brother. He was standing a few feet away, arms crossed at his chest, a peeved look on his face. "Listen, I wanna talk to you in a little while. Just us."

"I don't have anything to talk to you about."

"Rick, come on. It's been days. I get you're mad at us. I'm not asking you not to be. I just wanna talk now that our heads are both clearer and some of the shock has had time to wear off."

He swept a hand through his hair. "We talked at the lake. You said what you needed to say. I heard you then. I don't see that there's anything left to say."

"Damn it, Rick, stop being so hard headed." She snapped, rather loudly. Her father's eyes landed on her, but thankfully, her step-mom had left the room.

"What's going on with you two?" Their father asked.

"Nothing." The mumbled in unison.

The man looked at Daryl, who was standing a few feet away, awkwardly leaning against the well. He arched a brow at him. "You care to elaborate." But the newcomer just shrugged at him. "Alright." Carol's fathered replied, cooly, and looked at his son. "Why don't you two show Daryl around the house while I finish up dinner. It should be ready in five minutes. He noticed how wet Carol and Daryl's clothes were, despite drying off. "Carol, you can put your things upstairs and change if you want. Rick, I'm sure you've got something Daryl can wear. If not, grab a pair of my sweats."

"It's fine. I don't need no other clothes." Daryl told the man.

"Non-sense. You're soaked. Besides, I'm sure Rick won't mind helping you out and letting you borrow something. You two are best friends, right?"

"The best." Rick muttered through clenched teeth.

()()()

Carol gave Daryl a brief walk through of the downstairs portion of the house. Showing him where the bathroom was, her parent's bedroom, the living room, the dining room, and the kitchen. She'd showed him where the staircase was and let him know there were three rooms upstairs. Her bedroom, Rick's, and a spare room that her step-mom used as an office for her realty business.

While she'd been showing Daryl the house, Rick had reluctantly gone to his room and grabbed Daryl a pair of dry clothes. Daryl changed in the downstairs bathroom, while Carol ran upstairs to her room to change into something dry. He changed much faster than she had, but kept himself hidden in the bathroom until he head her footsteps bounding down the stairs. He felt extremely awkward and out of place in this big house. Her step-mom seemed like a total bitch. Rick still seemed to hate him. And he wasn't sure what he felt about her dad yet. He wished like hell it would quit raining so he could go home.

When Carol finally came back down stairs he followed her into the living room, settling into an oversized chair with her. Rick was hiding out in his room and he wasn't sure where her step-mom was, but he was glad for the privacy. His head jerked when he heard a steady. "Meow." A large, long-haired tortoiseshell cat appeared at the back of the chair.

"There you are Buttercup." Carol beamed, pulling the fat cat down into her lap. It immediately started kneading in her lap and purring loudly. She smiled widely at the cat as she scratched it's chin and the purring intensified. "I missed you, sweet girl." She cooed.

"Your parents have a cat?" Daryl asked, sounding surprised as he reached down and scratched it's head.

"Yeah, we've had Buttercup forever. My dad got a call when I was probably...I don't know...twelve or thirteen...anyway, this little kitten was trapped under the hood of someone's car and they thought it was a 911 related emergency." She laughed at the memory. "My dad got her out and brought home this scrawny, whiny, grease covered kitten. We've had her ever since."

"That lying son of a bitch." Daryl growled.

Carol look at him curiously.

"You're brother." He explained. "Fucker told me he was allergic to cats. I tried to get one last year. It was this solid black kitten that had been abandoned outside the clinic in a laundry basket. Had the greenest damn eyes I ever seen. It had a real bad upper respiratory infection and conjunctivitis and it was skin and bones. I was gonna take it home and keep it and Rick said he was really allergic to them to the point he couldn't even be around them."

She shook her head. "Rick isn't allergic to cats. The only thing he's allergic to is penicillin. He just doesn't like cats. Never has. Buttercup used to climb on his car all the time. Sometimes she'd drop dead mice and chipmunks in his bed. She even did that with a snake once. Poor Rick almost pissed his pants. Screamed like a little girl, even though it was already dead."

()()()

By the time Carol's dad was done cooking, rain was still violently pelting down outside. The front yard was flooded with at least an inch of water already. Flashes of lightning, followed by intense claps of thunder occurred every few seconds it seemed.

"You know." Richard suggested as the five of them walked into the dining room for dinner. "It's supposed to storm like this all night. I checked the Doppler radar on my phone. You should probably just stay here tonight, Daryl."

"I'm sure he doesn't wanna impose." Patricia cut in. Sending Daryl a nasty look. As if the idea of him spending the night here disgusted her.

Daryl narrowed his eyes on her, but didn't say anything, no matter how much he wanted to call her out on how big of a bitch she was and tell her he didn't wanna stay in a house with her anyway. "It's fine. I can drive down to a hotel or something."

"There's not a hotel for at least five miles." Carol replied. "I don't want you driving in this. Just stay here."

"You can stay in the spare room." He father added. "It's Patricia's office, but there's a futon in there. We have plenty of spare pillows and blankets for you."

He looked over at Rick, who was staring at the floor, then over to Patricia, who looked she was silently pleading with God that he'd just leave. "Little rain ain't gonna hurt me none. I don't mind going to a hotel."

Rick sighed heavily and looked over at Daryl. "You shouldn't be driving in this sh.." He noticed the look his mother cut him and corrected himself quickly. "Stuff. Just stay here tonight."

"You wouldn't want me driving on your bike in that." Carol pointed out. "Please, just stay here tonight if it doesn't let up."

"Fine" Daryl relented.

()()()

Daryl couldn't help the way his mouth watered at the food set at the dining room table. Fried pork chops, turnip greens, rutabaga, and cornbread were spread out before him. He couldn't wait to dig in and didn't waste a single second fixing his plate to the brim. He dipped his cornbread in turnip juice for starters and was about to shovel it in his mouth when the sound of a woman clearing her throat filled the room. He paused and noticed Carol's step-mom was staring him down. Richard was also shooting him a look, while Rick and Carol both seemed to be grimacing. "I ain't allowed to eat?" He asked, raising his eyebrows at Carol, trying to find out what he'd done wrong."

"We say grace in this household before we eat." She snidely replied. "We raised our children to be thankful for what they have."

"Patricia." Richard scolded. "Not every household does that. Don't give the boy a hard time."

"Rick and Carol don't do it back at home. Guess they must've forgot to extend all those nice manners once they was around someone like me." Daryl commented, gruffly, but matter of factly.

"Hmph. Well, they're doing it tonight if they're hungry. And so are you. In fact, maybe you'd like to lead us."

"I've got it." Richard insisted, then lead them in grace. Being sure to express his thanks for his daughter's presence and the chance to meet her new boyfriend and have him with them.

()()()

"So, Daryl?" Richard asked. "You're in college aren't you?"

"Mhm."

"What's your major?"

"Biology."

"That's nice. You work at a vet, right? Think Rick's mentioned that before."

"Yep. Greene Animal Clinic, where Carol works. I'm a tech there."

Richard sipped his glass of water. "Are you going to go on and be a vet."

"Nah. I ain't got the grades for all that. It's hard to get in and I bust my ass to scrape by with a 3.0 now."

"Richard." Patricia sneered.

He nodded as his wife, letting her know he understood why she was making a fuss. "Do you mind not using language like that at the dinner table?"

Carol was sitting beside him and he felt her squeeze his hand. He figured she wanted to avoid a scene, but he wasn't going to make one with her father. The man had been rather polite and seemed to be trying to diffuse the tension all night. "Sorry bout that. I, uh, I reckon I was just raised a little different. Cussing's not such a big deal where I come from."

"How were you raised, Daryl? Where'd you come from?" Patricia asked. "What were your parents like? Because I have a few guesses."

"Stop!" Carol snapped. That was one topic she didn't want brought up knowing what a sore subject it was for Daryl. And her step-mom was being completely unreasonable.

Rick surprised Daryl by jumping in as well. "Mom, seriously, stop!"

"Kids, I'm sure she didn't mean it that way." Richard interjected calmly. "We're both just curious to know a little about Daryl. He's been Rick's roommate the last few years and now he's dating our daughter. He's obviously important to both of you. We'd just like to know a little more about him. That's all. Like who your parents are. What they do. Where you're from."

Daryl was sure she'd meant something by her comments. He was more than sure, but he didn't argue with the man. In fact, he was getting so pissed off he would tell them where he was from without hesitation. Because he knew it would irk the woman even more to know she was right and her son had been friends with someone like him and her step-daughter was fucking him. "I'm about an hour and a half east of here. Out near Dahlonago. Grew up in the mountains. Spent most of my life in a trailer bout as big as this here dining room. My old man's a small engine mehcaninc. Four-wheeler's golf-carts, lawn mowers, stuff like that. Don't pay worth a da...crap. My mama, well, I don't know what she is. Other than not around. Took off when I was nine with some man that worked for the railroad. Left me and my brother with the old man." He picked up his pork chop and bit off of it when he was done talking.

"Well, I think it says a lot about your character." Richard offered. "Working hard to get where you are and making it to college after going through your mother leaving when you were a kid and being raised by a single father with a low income. I'm sure your father's very proud."

He hummed and chewed the rest of his bite, then swallowed. Tilting his head to the side. "Yeah. I'm sure he's one proud papa."

Richard decided to change the subject, catching the hint of anger and resentment in the young man's tone. "Carol, have you given much thought to going back to school? I know when you first moved back to Georgia you were talking about re-enrolling."

"Actually, daddy, I have. I really think I'd like to major in biology and get a minor in business. I love working at the clinic and Dr. Greene is letting Daryl train me to be a tech. I've really been leaning towards veterinary medicine and possibly opening my own practice someday. I love this job and I'm really passionate about it. I've always leaned toward the medical field, I think I finally found my calling."

"So, you've applied?" Patricia asked.

"Not yet." Carol admitted, between bites. "But I'm going to."

"Well, it's already May." She chided. "You're going to mess around and not be able to get in if you don't hurry up and apply. Really, Carol, you should have already done that. You know better."

"It's not that big of a school. I'm sure I still have time to get in."

"But your grades. You haven't forgotten you failed out freshman year. Have you?"

"I can retake the classes I bombed and my grades won't even count towards my GPA. I have to write an admissions letter and I'm going to include the fact that I was young and made bad decisions my freshman year."

"I just don't get how for such a bright girl you could have been so stupid! You had a wonderful future ahead of you. All that hard work we put into making sure you stayed on top academically. All of those track meets we took you to. The extra-circular's we made sure to keep you involved in. We gave you everything. Did everything for you. And you just throw it all away for the first boy who comes along and pays you any attention. It's quite degrading, dear. It's like you had no self-respect, whatsoever. You have no idea how disappointing that was for your father and I. And we told you. We told you he'd break your heart. That he was no good. Even Rick warned you, and we all know your brother rarely thinks you do anything wrong. Bless his heart. But you wouldn't listen. You just wouldn't listen. I bet you wish you had now." She shook her head. "But I guess it's true what they say, the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree, after all. I tried my best with you, but you aren't genetically mine. I couldn't control everything." She narrowed her eyes on Daryl. "And it seems you still haven't learned a thing after Ed."

Carol dropped her fork. Her chest was heaving and she was pushing back tears, a mixture of hurt and anger welling deep inside of her. "You ever wonder why the hell I wanted to get away from here so bad that I applied for a school in New York?" She screamed. "Look in the fucking mirror. My mother, who isn't you, thank God, isn't the reason I jumped at the first guy who paid attention to me or acted like he gave a damn about me. You are. It's not some genetic screw up written in my DNA, it's because I never once felt like you loved me or accepted the fact that I was a package deal with my dad and I was dying for someone to love me and want me in their life because I've never felt like I was really a part of _your_ family." She jumped out of her chair and stood up, slamming the chair into the table. "And you might not think much of Daryl because he doesn't come from money or he wasn't raised with the manners or the social etiquette you deem acceptable, but you know what? At least he doesn't pretend to be someone he's not, like you do." She stormed off out of the dining room and made her way up the staircase to her room.

Daryl stood up to go after her, pushing his chair under the table. He stopped and looked at Carol's father. "No disrespect, though he did mean some disrespect. "But if you love your daughter and miss her and wanna see her more, you need to tell your wife to stop riding her ass so much. There's a reason she don't ever wanna come home." What he'd really wanted to say was you need to tell that hateful bitch of yours to stop treating your daughter like a piece of shit and a start treating her like a human being, but he didn't. Because if he did, the man may have thrown him out. And there was no way he was leaving with Carol this upset.

()()()

Can you believe that!" Patricia screamed. "Did you hear how your daughter talked to me. How her boyfriend talked to me!" She looked at Rick. "She's never talked to me like that before. It's that boy. That horrible, horrible boy. I can't believe you'd be friends with someone like him. I can't believe you'd let your sister get involved with someone like him. He is completely disrespectful and foul-mouthed. With his satanic tattoo on his arm. He probably worships the devil for crying out loudl! I knew it the moment I saw him. I knew it. I told you he was a hoodlum. Now he's corrupting our daughter. Turing her against us. We thought Ed was bad. We didn't know a thing. Not a thing. She'll be barefoot and pregnant with a case of gonherrea next time we see her. And he'll be long gone by that time. I can't belive she's still so naïve. So childish. She should know better. I'm just glad you're smarter than that, Rick. That you haven't let that boy influence you like that. You were always the good child. Always the smart one. Carol just comes from bad seed. I've always said that."

"Enough." Rick shouted, raising his voice as his mother for the first time in his life. It surprised him so much he jumped a little at the sound of his own voice. "Carol's not stupid, she's a smart girl. She always has been. You've always treated her like she's on the outside of this family. You've always made her feel like less than she is. You've been in her life since she was five months old. Five months old! You pratcially raised her. How can you treat her like that just because you didn't give birth to her? That's my sister. My sister! Your husband's child." He pointed to his father. "And Daryl isn't a bad guy. He's one of my best friends. He was there for me at my lowest. He doesn't worship the devil, he just thinks the tattoo looks cool. He had a rough childhood, his dad was an asshole, and he was alone a lot of the time, that's why he doesn't know how to say grace before a meal and that's why he talks and dresses like he does. It doesn't make him a bad person. It makes you a bad person for juding him for it. Carol's good for him, and you know what, he's good for her. I haven't seen her happier than she has been since she got with him."


	72. Chapter 72

Daryl made his way up the stairs to check on Carol. He remembered that she'd said earlier that her bedroom was on the right. When he got to the top of the stairs he saw that there was only one bedroom on the right, which meant it had to be hers. The door was shut, which could have meant she wanted to be alone. He knocked quietly before barging in. He knew she was in a rough place right now and she might need her space from everyone at the moment.

"Go away!" She yelled behind choked tears from the other side of the door.

"It's me." He told her softly from the other side of the door. "Wanted to check on you."

He could hear the knob twisting as her bedroom door slowly opened for him. She stood before him, her eyes red, puffy, and tear-stained. She was gnawing at the nail on the index finger of her right hand as her left hand was draped around her waist. He could feel his own heart break seeing her like this. "Come here." He pulled her into him, protectively drawing her against his chest, winding his arms tightly around her.

She fell into his embrace, letting all of her emotions go as he held her close to him. She buried her face into his chest, letting her tears freely flow and soak his shirt. "It's like this every time I come home. Every single time." She sobbed.

He didn't know what to say. Not that there was anything to say that'd make it better. He couldn't take away what that hateful bitch had said to her. He moved one hand up to the back of her head and ran his fingers through her hair, then kissed the top of her head.

She clenched the bottom of his shirt in her fists. "I've never been good enough. Nothing I've ever done has been good enough for her. I know I screwed up my life when I was younger. I know I shouldn't have chosen Ed over my future. But even before that, she hated me. My whole life not a damn thing I did was right! Carol, you got a 90 on your test? Why didn't you get a 95? You were second in the state at the track meet? Why didn't you come in fist? You could've if you tried harder. That's so disappointing. Oh, your hair, if only it was straighter and didn't have all that curl to it, you'd have been so pretty at prom. It's a shame you have your mother's skin tone and all those freckles, you'd look so much better if you had mine or your father's complexion. Nothing about me will ever be good enough for her because I'm not hers."

"You're perfect to me." He whispered into her ear, then nestled his cheek against hers.

She dropped the death grip she had on his shirt and flung her arms around him as tight as she could, continuing to sob. "I just don't see how my dad can let her talk to me like that. She's not my mom...she doesn't have to love me. I get that...I wish she did...It'd make everything so much easier...but she doesn't have to. But he's my father. I'm supposed to be daddy's little girl... And I know deep down he does love me...But I don't think he's ever loved me like he's supposed to. He's always loved her more. He's never stood up to her for me when she goes off like that."

She was rustling her head against his chest, wiping tears away and he had to fight the urge he had to yelp when her chin brushed his nipple piercing, but he didn't let her go. He kept holding her, trying to offer some form of comfort. All the while fighting the urge to go off on his own tangent about what a piece of shit her step-mom was and what a fucking pussy her daddy was for not standing up to the woman.

Carol released the firm grip she had on him, took a step back, and brushed her tears away, trying the best she could to compose herself and steady her voice. "I just...when Hershel was in the hospital...I thought...I thought, what if that was my dad? What if something happened to him? I mean, I know Hershel was fine and it wasn't a heart attack, but it could have been. And it made me realize my parents are getting older. I didn't wanna live with that regret if something happened to him and I hadn't seen him in almost a year. I wanna be close to him...I do. And I wanted to try and get close to Patricia. I mean...she's a bitch...a hateful, spiteful bitch...but she never hit me. She took me places...she helped me with my homework. Fed me. Taught me how to cook and clean. I can't say she was awful to me a hundred percent of the time...but I can't say I ever went more than two days without her tearing me down about something either. Not while I was in the same house with her. But even so, I just wanted to fix things with her. Reach some common ground and try to work something out so we could all four be the family I've always wanted to be."

"Just because they're your family doesn't mean you gotta take someone treating you like less than you deserve." He tenderly told her."

"I know...but..." She bit back the tears that were threatening to start spilling again. She felt ridiculous and weak for breaking down like this in front of Daryl. She knew he'd had it worse than she did and she felt like she should be grateful for the screwed up family she had, but it didn't mean she still didn't wish things were different and that Patricia's words hadn't cut her deep. "I love my daddy, I love my brother, and in some fucked way I love Patricia, too. I don't like her, I can't get along with her, but there is a part of me that loves her. That wants to feel like she loves me." She sniffled and shook her head at herself, wrapping her arms around her waist again. "I'm sorry. This is...it's stupid. I'm a grown woman. I shouldn't be crying like this."

He stepped towards her again and pulled her to him. "Don't be sorry. It ain't nothing to be sorry about and it ain't stupid to be crying about it. I get it, do, and I'd change it for you if I could." He kissed her forehead again and swayed back and forth with her in his arms. "I love you, Carol. More than I ever thought I could love anything. I know it ain't the same. I know it don't make up for the kinda relationship you want with your parents, for how they made you feel, but I'll spend the rest of my life trying to make sure you know you're the most important person in the world to me, that you're perfect just the way you are, that you'll always have somebody because you got me."

()()()

After Rick went off on his mom he stormed out of the dining room in a fit of anger. He couldn't even bare to look at the woman right now. Or his father for that matter. He marched his way from the dining room to the screened in back porch located off of their kitchen that overlooked their large backyard. It was dark outside by now, and rain was still falling down hard, but he needed some fresh air. He couldn't be in the house right then.

He'd listened to her tear Carol down his whole life. Even when they were little kids, she'd pick Carol apart at the seams, never pointing out a single good thing that she did. Meanwhile, Rick got praised for the most minuscule things. If he got a participation trophy in baseball that was a big deal. An 80 on a test? She was so proud of her baby for getting a B. He could probably count on one hand the amount of times she'd actually scolded him for something during his twenty-one years of life.

A lot of kids thought that their parents played favorites. One kid got more stuff than the other, one kid got more attention than the other, one kid got in trouble less. He'd heard Maggie and Shawn say that about Beth a million times. She was the baby and Hershel and Annette let her get away with more, did more for her. And maybe that was true, maybe they were a little partial to her, maybe she was a bit more spoiled, but Hershel and Annette showed all three kids that they loved them. He couldn't think of a single instance that Shawn or Maggie had been singled out the way Carol had been in comparison to him by his mom.

And he'd seen the impact his mom and her differential treatment had on Carol. He'd heard her cry many times about it growing up. He'd held her when she cried about it. Held her while she cried because she didn't know much about her real mom and their dad wouldn't really tell her anything about her But that was mostly when they were younger kids, when she was a teenager she started pushing all of her feelings about the situation down. Locking them deep inside.

She threw herself into track, piano, and her schooling as a distraction, but he could tell she was always hopeful that her step-mom would tell her she was proud of her for her accomplishments. After each recital, each track meet, each report card, he always saw the look in Carol's eyes, a child-like one that sought approval and acceptance that she never got.

It always pricked at his heart to see his sister go through that. To know that she felt inadaquette and inferior. That's why they'd always had such a close bond. They hadn't just been brother and sister growing up, they'd been best friends. He'd always been the person she could turn to when shit got bad. Her confidenant, someone she knew loved her no matter what. They'd always told each other everything. Looked out for one another.

And as pissed as he had been for her at lying to him about her and Daryl, he'd still decided not to throw her under the bus with their parents when he came home and they started questioning him about why she wasn't with him. He could have, maybe the angry part of him wanted to, but he didn't. Because he knew the things his mom would say about her if she knew that, he knew how bad she'd make it for Carol the next time she did see her, and he knew their dad would sit there and let her.

In his heart, he knew that no matter how pissed off and hurt he was, she was still his sister. He still loved her to death, no matter what. He didn't want shit to be worse for her at home than it already was. That was the funny thing about being brother and sister to him. He'd go to war with her in a minute, say something hateful to her or about her if she made him mad enough, but he'd go to war for her over someone else doing or saying the same thing.

The thing was, it was so much more complicated when that person causing her pain happened to be his own mother. He felt like he had to keep his mouth shut out of respect to the woman that gave birth to him. He loved his mom. He knew she had faults, but he loved her all the same because she was his mother. So, for most of his life, he'd simply sat there and let her dish out whatever she had to say, then comforted his sister after.

Tonight, though, he just hadn't been able to take it anymore. His anger at Carol and Daryl had been over-ridden by the harsh way his mom had been treating both of them. No matter what they had done, he still loved both of them. He knew that they weren't really bad people. Maybe they made a bad choice in lying to him, but that didn't make them bad overall. And he couldn't stand the idea of either of them being hurt, emotionally or physically. It's why he hadn't wanted Daryl out on his bike in this weather, though he hadn't really wanted to share a house with him either, he still couldn't stand the thought of him leaving and something happening.

He let his head fall onto the damp screen around the porch and sucked in a deep breath. He knew what he had to do.

()()()

Rick slowly made his back inside and quietly walked up the stairs towards his sisters room. Each step seemed to make his legs feel heavier, lead-like. Tonight had already been an emotional roller-coaster, and he knew this conversation wouldn't be lacking in intensity.

He paused in front of her door when he noticed it was already open. Daryl's back was to him and he was holding Carol tightly in his arms. He caught the tail end of their conversation where Daryl was telling her he loved her and that she was perfect for him and that he'd always be there for her.

He'd heard his best friend express a lot of emotions since he'd known him. Anger, excitement, disappointment, regret, surprise, but he'd never quite heard his voice like this. Soft and attentive, ready to crack from the sheer emotion it was conveying to Carol. How he was trying to express to her how much he cared about her and how much it pained him to see her hurt. He leaned against the doorframe and folder his arms against his chest as he watched them, completely in awe of what he was seeing.

()()()

Carol doused her eyes with the collar of Daryl's shirt in an attempt to wipe them dry. She was determined that she was going to stop crying for real this time. His sweet words to her had only made her cry harder, but not because they made her sad, because they were completely overwhelming and it meant the world to her to hear them right now.

She stayed in his arms, enjoying how safe and loved he made her feel while he held her like this, despite everything else going on. She went to maneuver her head into a more comfortable position, opting to rest her chin on his shoulder, but when she looked up she saw her brother standing in her doorway, arms crossed at his chest, staring at them intently, her face contorted again when her eyes met his. "Rick?"

At the mention of Rick's name, Daryl relinquished the grip he had Carol in and whipped around to face him. He immediately felt himself grow defensive after the way things had been between the three of them and not wanting Rick to come up here and make things worse for her right now. He emitted a low growl from the back of his throat.

Rick read the look on Daryl's face and held up a hand. "I'm not here to start anything. I just wanna talk to my sister." He titled his head and looked at Carol, making his voice as soft as he could. "Are you alright?"

She bit down on her bottom lip moved to nod her head yes, but midway through she stopped and shook her head no. Deciding there was no point in lying about it. Rick had been down there, too. He knew she wasn't alright.

Rick took a few more steps forward until he was directly in front of her, watching an extremely protective looking Daryl observe his every move out of the corner of his eye, and tentatively moved to wrap his arms around her. "I'm sorry it's always like this."

Carol had been surprised by Rick's embrace and his words, but they definitely weren't unwelcomed. She hugged him back and tried to downplay everything. "It's alright." She dismissed.

"No. No it's not. Never has been." He let go of her and put enough distance between them so their blue eyes could meet. "I told her that, too. Should have a long time ago."

"You...you did?"

He ran a hand through his hair and nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, I did."

She wasn't able to hide her confusion. "Why would you do that? You don't even like me right now?"

"Because you're my sister, Carol. Even when I don't like you, I always love you."

Her face fell. The slight tinge of hope she felt that maybe that hug had been some form of reconciliation disappeared. She should have known it wouldn't be that simple. Though, she was still thankful that Rick had defended her and that he admitted he still loved her.

Rick cleared his throat and looked between Carol and Daryl. "You, uh, you think the three of us could talk?"

"Depends on what you wanna talk about?" Daryl grunted. Still worried that talking to Rick would only end upsetting her worse.

"I wanna talk about everything that happened between the three of us. Alright? I'm not up here to fight. I just wanna talk about it. I had a lot of time to think about the situation while I've been here by myself and with everything that happened downstairs, I just, I realized some things."

Carol shot Daryl a warning look that let him know he needed to back of a little and that she hoped conveyed she did wanna talk. She then turned to her brother. "I think talking is a good idea." She moved and took a seat on her bed and patted for Daryl to come sit down beside her. She pointed to the pink hang-a-round chair in the corner of her room for Rick to take a seat in. Once everyone she was settled she looked between the two most important men in her life. "Where do you wanna start?"

"I'll start." Rick offered. He took a second to gather his thoughts. "You know? At the lake when I found out you two had been lying to me, I was fucking pissed. So pissed off at both of you. Other than Michonne, you two were supposed to be the closest people in the world to me. Knowing you lied to me for over a month...I just felt so...betrayed...so hurt to know you could both look me in the eye and lie to me like that."

"We didn't meant to hurt you." Carol offered. "We just didn't think we could tell you the truth. You didn't want us together in any way. You made that clear before I even moved here. And that wasn't fair to us. We're adults."

"I know." He agreed. "You're right. Looking back, it wasn't really fair of me to tell two adults what they could and couldn't do with each other."

Daryl raised a brow, practically in disbelief Rick was admitting he was wrong. It allowed him to let down some of the defense he'd put up when Rick walked in the room begin to crumble. "I didn't plan to, man. Alright? It wasn't...it wasn't like I sat down and concocted some big plan to get your sister to sleep with me and that I was just gonna sit and laugh about it behind your back."

"I just wanted to feel better, Rick." Carol chimed in. "I thought sleeping with him would make me feel better about myself. I didn't think it was your business who I slept with and I didn't think it would matter if you knew or not if it was a one time thing. I didn't count on the chemistry we would have together." She knew they were basically re-telling him the same things they had at the lake that day, but she also knew his anger might have kept him from hearing everything they said that day.

"I fell in love with her, man." Daryl admitted. "I didn't plan to. I had no idea I would. But I did. And I know we should've told you when you asked. I should've come to you before and made you hear me..."

"You tried to tell me you liked her." Rick cut in. "At the pool hall that night. You tried to tell me. And I laughed at you. I didn't think you were serious."

"Yeah, well, can't say I blame you for not believing me." He mumbled. "I should've been a man about it. Should've told you to shut the fuck up laughing and that I meant it."

"Maybe you should have...but you know? I know you, Daryl...it was a big deal for you to even tell me that and I'm sure it was a huge blow for me to dismiss it like that." He sighed and slid his hands over his jeans. "The main reason I didn't ever want anything to happen between the two you in the first place was because I couldn't ever imagine Daryl falling in love with someone. He was so closed off. Even with his friends. Me included. And the way he jumped from woman to woman, never giving a damn about any of them. I couldn't imagine it being different with you. And I know you, Carol. I knew you'd fall for him. You're not the one-night stand kinda girl. Like you said downstairs, you just wanted to be loved. It's why you fell for Ed so hard and so fast. You wanted everything you never had growing up. You want a family some day. I couldn't imagine Daryl ever wanting any of that. The thought of anyone else breaking your heart was enough to have me ready throw a punch, I didn't want that anger to be aimed at my best friend. The most reasonable thing for everyone seemed to be to keep you two from...you know? Fadoodling."

Carol couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped her lips at her brothers choice of words. But she felt a little defensive, from Rick's speech. Like Rick thought she was just with Daryl because she couldn't be alone or needed someone, like Merle had seemed to think. "I love him, Rick. Not because I don't wanna be alone, not because I want a family someday and I think he's a means to and end for that. I love him because I've never felt so connected to another human being this way in my entire life. Because he makes me laugh, because he makes me feel safe, because he's sweet, and smart, and for reasons I can't ever even put into words."

"I don't think that." Rick corrected. "That's not what I was trying to say. I just meant that the same way hooking up with Jessie wasn't enough for me...I knew that a hook-up with Daryl, or anyone else, wouldn't be enough for you. You'd want something real. And I know Daryl good enough to know you would have wanted something real with him if you got to know him. I just didn't ever think I'd see the day he wanted something real, too."

Daryl hummed and looked at Carol. "Me either, but I do."

"I know you do. Fuck, man. I should've known at the bar that night something was up when you turned Rosita down after she kept throwing herself at you. I should've connected the dots and known that STD story you shot me was bullshit, but I just, I was a little drunk and I wanted to get laid. I wasn't thinking clear. If I had been, I would have remembered how crazy you went when she went on that date with Shawn." Rick laughed to himself. "How you were throwing candy at Shawn's head from behind the seats with me. You were more upset about it than I was and I didn't even have a damn clue."

"Hold on!" Carol jumped in, narrowing her eyes on Daryl. "You and Rick followed me on my date with Shawn and _you_ were the one hitting him in the back of the head with candy?"

Daryl looked sheepish and hung his head. "Yeah." He muttered. "But Rick did, too...and we both kinda paid the waiter to put mayo on your gyro hoping it would ruin your date."

She narrowed her eyes on Rick this time and watched as he dropped his head in shame. "I can't believe you two did that!"

"I couldn't stand the thought of you with someone else." He muttered. "It was childish...I know. I just really liked you and didn't know how to tell you. The idea of you sleeping with him, too, it killed me."

"And I just didn't want Shawn taking advantage of you." Rick added.

She rolled her eyes at both of them. She was annoyed they'd both done that but it wasn't like she really liked Shawn or that it had been a real date. They were in the middle of all three getting back on track right now and she had a lot more to worry about than some ridiculous stunt they pulled over a month ago. She knew when to pick her battles and that there was no sense of making a mountain out of a mole hill, though she could argue she was far more sane and rational than either of them because she hadn't psychotically followed them downtown when they went out. "We'll deal with that later. Back to what we were talking about." Her eyes landed back on her brother. "I think it's safe to say we all have regrets about how we handled things and if given the chance we all would have done things a bit differently. We're sorry we hurt you, Rick. We're sorry we lied and decived you."

"And I'm sorry I was insanely over-protective and made you feel like you had to lie to me in the first place. The thing is...I spent a lot of time comparing what you two did to what Lori and Shane did to me...but Michonne pointed out it wasn't the same...you're my sister. I've never had the right to tell you that you can't be with someone. Daryl sleeping with you behind my back isn't really the same as Shane fucking Lori."

"Your girlfriend's a smart chick." Daryl noted.

"Shut up." Rick retorted, though he was kidding. "I shouldn't have hit you, Daryl. It was a fucked up thing to do. I don't even think I was really hitting you. I mean, I know it was you that I hit...but...It was just...everything. It was like in my head I was reliving walking in on Lori and Shane and the weight of all that mixed with what the two of you did...I just...I didn't do a damn thing when I caught those two. I cussed and yelled and stormed out. I wanted to hit him, but I didn't. Just punched the wall when I got home and told you what happened. But I wanted to hit him so fucking bad...And at the lake...I don't know...I guess I'm trying to say that hit was for Shane, too. Not just for you."

Daryl rubbed his scabbed over lip and the image of Rick coming at him and connecting his fist with his face replayed in his mind. "Everyone gets pissed off sometimes. Ain't the first hit I ever took in my life. I'm sure it ain't the last one I'll ever take. Shit, it ain't even the first one I took over Carol." He laughed, but quickly grew serious again. "Just don't ever fucking hit me again and expect me not to hit your ass back."

Rick nodded in understanding. "And don't you two ever lie to me again." He warned.

"We won't." They said in tandem.

"I'm serious." Rick insisted. "You two get engaged? I wanna know first. You knock her up? You better let uncle Rick know before anyone else does."

Daryl held up both hands and his voice cracked like a teenaged boys. "Slow your fucking role there. We ain't even talked about that kinda shit together yet."

"Yeah." Carol agreed, sounding equally as nervous. "You're a little ahead of us on marriage and kids. We love each other but don't start planning our wedding just yet. Let us get there on our own first." She'd been with Ed four years and they hadn't even been close to being engaged. As much as she cared about Daryl, it was still way too early to think that far into the future.

"I was just saying if those things happened." Rick clarified. "If they do, I wanna be the first to know."

Carol smiled at her brother. "So, we're good now?"

Rick returned her smile and stood up to go give her a hug. "We're good." After he was finished hugging Carol he turned and looked at Daryl. "I know we don't ever do shit like this, but come here." He tapped Daryl playfully on the chest before moving to hug him, but jumped back when Daryl yelped in pain. "What the fuck?" Rick asked with raised brows.

"You hit me in my fucking titty piercing!" He growled, grabbing at his chest.

"Your what! Since when?"

"Last night." Daryl groaned and held out his arm and showed off his bicep tattoo. "Got this too if you didn't notice."

Rick scoped out the tattoo. "Holy shit! Let me see your nipple ring."

"No way."

"Come on, dude! You've gotta let me see." Rick pleaded.

He huffed in frustration but moved to carefully lift up his shirt, showing off the red, irnflammed piercing.

Rick winced at the painful site. "I can't believe you fucking did that! Why in the hell would you do that?"

"He was really, _really_ drunk." Carol jumped in.

"Yeah...I saw Glenn's karaoke snapchats." Rick chuckled. "I kinda wish I had been there."

"You don't even know the half of it." She continued as she began to relay the entire night to Rick, including the part where Daryl vomited on her and had to be carried home be her and Merle.

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing. I hope the reconciliation was somewhat satisfying.**


	73. Chapter 73

**Thank you to those of you that have stuck with this since the beginning or hopped on somewhere along the way and rode out this long, winding journey with me. I'm trying hard to reign everything in and bring this all to a closing point. That being said, if you feel like there's something that still needs to be touched on or that I glossed over along the way, please feel free to point it out or ask me to touch base on it again. I try hard to keep up with where the story has been and weave it with where it's going, but 73 chapters is a shit ton of chapters and I very well could have looked over something or forgotten to come back to something that I meant to.**

 **Here's another chapter. Enjoy.**

Though Carol was still reeling from the emotional toll of what transpired between her and her step-mother downstairs, and the fact that her father, like always, seemed to completely ignore the scene unfolding before his own eyes, she still felt immense relief at knowing that things between her and her brother were good again. And she felt a sense of gratitude and pride knowing that her brother had stuck up to his own mother in defense of her and Daryl.

After they caught Rick up on Daryl's insane, skin altering birthday bash that happened the night before, Rick had caught them up on what went on after Carol and Daryl made their way upstairs. Rick was a bit of a mama's boy, for lack of a better term, and it really meant a lot to Carol that he stood up to her. Especially after how angry he'd been at the two of them this past weekend. He also ended up apologizing for the the harsh words he'd said to both of them before storming off from the lake house.

It felt good to her, to know they reached an understanding of each other's perspectives. They all three finally sat down and acted like grown ups about the situation, like they should have from the beginning, and seemed to have worked it out.

Even though her relationship with her brother had reached a calm, the storm was raging on in full force outside. Rain could be heard beating down hard upon the roof, the wind whistling loudly causing a tree branch to crack loudly against Carol's bedroom window, thunder clapping loudly, and bright white and purple flashes of light violently streaking across the sky.

For the last five minutes, the lights would occasionally flicker now and then. The three of them simply seemed to be ignoring what was going on outside. Lost in conversation with one another upstairs in Carol's room. An outsider never would have been able to guess that a huge rift existed between them only days before.

Carol and Daryl were resting against the heaboard of her wrought iron canopy bead, laying on top of the pale pink comforter with their legs outstretched. Daryl had an arm wrapped around her and her head was resting on his shoulder. Rick was lying diagonally on his side at the foot of the bed, elbow resting on the comforter while his head was propped in his hand.

"I can't believe Merle has a fucking kid." Rick muttered when Daryl finished telling him the story of why his brother had really been there for a visit.

"Me neither." He shrugged a shoulder. "Well, fuck, I reckon I can believe it. Shit, I'm really surprised he don't have ten of them running around." Carol and Rick chuckled, and even if it was funny, Daryl half-way meant it. Merle wasn't a fan of using condoms. He said it took all of the feeling away and that pulling out worked just fine. Daryl hadn't ever trusted that method enough to use it for fear of pregnancy alone, but he'd also always worried about diseases and never wanted to risk that either. He swept his free hand through his shaggy hair. "Guess I just can't believe he's got one with Andrea."

Carol grimaced. "I kinda feel bad I told him he should be neutered because he shouldn't be allowed to breed."

"Merle don't take shit like that to heart. You ain't gotta feel bad." Daryl assured her. "Hell, Merle probably would have said the same thing before he found out he actually had a kid. Ain't something he planned or was looking for back then with Andrea. I just hope he steps up like he's supposed to and gets involved with her. Little girl deserves her daddy in her life."

"Have you heard from him?" Rick asked. "Was he gonna call you and tell you how it went?"

"Supposed to. But I ain't heard nothing yet. Hate to say it, but it wouldn't surprise me if he booked up and went back to Valdosta and didn't even show up. He was pretty freaked out. And this ain't just some random bitch either. You know? This is Andrea. That didn't end good and I think he always kinda felt guilty for it. He'd have taken a different road if he could knowing what he knows now." He saw the look Rick was shooting him and rolled his eyes. "I ain't defending him for cheating on her. I swear I ain't. Merle's just...he's his own worst enemy...you know? He can't stand to have nothing good in his life for too long. He'll fuck it up himself before it has a chance to fuck him up. Every damn job he's had, every damn place he's ever lived, he books up after a while. Don't matter how good the job paid or how much he liked where he was living. He ain't gonna stay long enough to let shit go south. Think that's what he did with Andrea and I think he knows he fucked up. That's why he wanted to beat my damn ass so bad that night I brought it up in front of y'all."

"Don't you get any ideas about running when shit gets too good." Rick warned Daryl, no hint of joking in his voice.

"I ain't." Daryl growled, resting his head on Carol's. He knew Rick was, first and foremost, Carol's brother, and that meant that he always going to have a protective streak over her. The idea of them was fairly new to Rick. Even though he was at a point of accepting it, he was sure Rick was still adjusting to his best friend and sister being together. But Rick needed to learn to understand Daryl loved her and would rather hurt himself than ever hurt her. "I'm not my brother. I'm not a fucking idiot. I know where my bread's getting buttered." He felt Carol pinch the flesh that covered his ribs. "Ow! What the fuck was that for?"

"That's my brother! He doesn't need to hear about me buttering your bread!"

Rick groaned. "Both of you shut up!"

Daryl chuckled softly and shifted until his head was on the pillow. He pulled Carol down beside him and she rested her head on his chest. "I'm just trying to say I ain't running from shit. Told you when you asked me if I ever thought about settling down and finding something real that I hadn't ever wanted to look for it but if it found me I wasn't gonna run from it. I might not have been fully honest with you that night because it had already found me, but the rest was the truth."

Rick nodded, letting him know he heard him loud and clear, then smirked at his best friend.

"What?"

"Nothing." Rick shook his head in amusement. "I was just trying to figure out when the fuck you started talking so much."

()()()

Rick stayed in the room about thirty more minutes talking with the couple. After emitting a few loud yawns and noticing how much it looked like Carol was struggling to keep her eyelids open, he finally pushed himself up off the bed. "Gonna hit the hay. All this rain's making me sleepy and I need to call Michonne before I knock out."

Carol pushed herself up off of Daryl so she could hug her brother goodnight. "See you in the morning. Love you, brother."

"Love you too, sis." He squeezed her tight before letting her go. "Glad we're okay again."

"Me too." She smiled. "And thank you for everything down there with dad and Patricia. Meant a lot to me."

"Something I should've done a long time ago." He turned his attention to Daryl and gave him a nod. "Night brother."

Daryl smirked mischievously and motioned between him and Carol. "If I was your brother I don't think we'd have ever had this problem."

"Shut the fuck up." Rick mumbled.

Daryl pushed his fist out and motioned to it with his head. "Night, man."

Rick bumped it with his own and threw his hand up on the way out the door, closing it behind him.

()()()

Daryl pushed himself up on his elbows after Rick walked out of the room and rolled out of bed. Carol watched him curiously and raised a brow in confusion.

"You look like you're about to pass the fuck out. You need to get some sleep. It was a long ride up here and you had a rough night." He whipped his shirt over his head and started working the button on his jeans, letting them slowly fall off his waist when they were undone.

"What are you doing?" She asked, not sounding any less confused than she had been when she quirked her brow at him in the first place.

This time he raised a brow at her. "Bout to get in bed and go to sleep. What's it look like I'm doing."

"You're sleeping in here?"

His jeans were around his ankles and he swiftly stepped out of them and walked over to the wall beside her door, flicking her light switch off. "Why wouldn't I." The lamp beside her bed was still on and he could see her shrugging innocently. "You don't want me in here?"

"No! No! It's not that at all...It's just...my dad said you could sleep in the spare room." She grabbed a pillow and tugged it to her chest, fumbling with the edges of the pillow shams.

Daryl snorted and pulled the covers bacll the side of the bed he'd been occupying back, sliding underneath them. "I ain't fucking sleeping in there Carol. I didn't wanna say this when you were upset because I didn't wanna make things worse, but your step-mom is a total cunt bitch and I can't stand her. She'd probably try to tell your old man I stole something out of that little office of hers if I slept in there alone tonight. You see the way she looked at me? The shit she said down there? Like I was fucking trailer trash scum or something?"

Carol hopped out of bed, walked to her where her book-bag was, disrobed until all she had left on wear her panties, grabbed an oversized t-shirt she'd brought with her and slipped it on, then slid her side of the covers back and climbed in under them, snuggling up to Daryl's chest. "I did. And it made me furious. I've listened to her talk down to me my whole life, but I couldn't stand hearing the way she talked about you. I think that's the straw that broke the camels back for me."

"Don't worry about what she said about me." He dismissed. "I just hated hearing how she talked to you like that. I wanted to cuss the bitch out. Would have if it hadn't been storming like this, because I know you're old man would've grown a pair of balls then and tossed my ass out if I said something to her, and I didn't want you worried about me out in this shit.."

She sighed and draped her arm over his chest, lightly grazing her nails over the skin just below his naval. "Sometimes I wonder if I should just walk away. You know? Not ever bother to come back. But I can't let myself do that. It would eat away at me. As much as I hate it when she does that, as much anger as I keep pushed back towards my dad for not stopping this, for not being the father I wish he was, I just can't cut them out of my life. Forgiveness is a bitter pill to swallow, but I think I'd choke on the regret if something happened and this was the last memory I had with my family."

Daryl licked his lips anxiously and adjusted the pillow behind his head. His fingers drummed against her forearm as he contemplated his own childhood. "You think I'm wrong for cutting my old man out? You think I should try and hunt my mama down?"

She rolled where she could face him. "Of course not. That's a completely different situation. I admire you for where you are in spite of him. Of them. For the kind of man you are. A lot of people wouldn't be where you are today if they'd gone through what you did. And I don't think either of them deserve you in their life."

"I...um...went home a few times freshman year." He began, feeling the bitter taste the words were about to leave in his mouth before they even left his lips. "Felt bad for the bastard being in that tiny ass trailer in the woods all by himself. Thought I owed it to him to go keep him company from time to time. Stupid fucker would dog me out whenever I went back. Talking about how I thought I was better than him because I was getting some fancy college education. That I was a sorry sack of shit just like the rest of them deep down and that no matter how educated I got that I'd still be a Dixon and it wouldn't stop me from becoming the same kinda man he was." He gripped the covers in anger. "Said he was gonna teach me my place. Remind me where I came from and where I'd always be. Grabbed this big, fat, leather belt he used to keep stashed away for when he was really pissed. One he'd put these jagged pieces of glass on. Same thing he used to tear my back up with when I was a kid. He.."

Daryl paused for a moment and cleared his throat. "He tried coming at me like he always had, but for the first time in my life, I decided I wasn't gonna put up with that shit. I tried to stop him. He got a few hits in, cut me up pretty good swinging that fucking belt, but in the end I got the thing away from him and put his ass through a coffee table and left."

She ran her hand up to the side of his face and gently brushed his cheek, biting back a tear as she the image of that scenario unfolding played in her mind. "I'm so sorry."

"It's alright. I'm fine now." He assured her. "Anyway, I, uh, when I got back, I was fucking moody as shit. Pissed at everyone and everything. Didn't talk near as much back then as I do now, but I pretty much stopped talking at all. Even at work. I think being away from my old man's place. Meeting other people. Hearing them talk about their families. Seeing Hershel with his family. It made me realize how fucked up mine really was for the first time in my life and I was just so fucking mad I wouldn't ever have that and that all these other people did. I didn't know you back then, and as far as I knew Rick had a fucking perfect family. Glenn has a perfect family. Parents still married. He's close with his sister. Michonne always talked about her mom and how close they were."

He sucked in a deep breath, urging himself to continue for her. "I just shut down for about a week. Was in a real bad place. I started wondering if the old man was right. If I should even be here at all because I damn sure knew I was different than everybody else here and I started thinking I would end up just like him in the end, no matter what. It's all I'd ever known. And, uh, Hershel, he picked up on it. Or picked up on something, anyway. Took me in his office one evening and had this long ass talk with me about how we all got two wolves living inside of us. A good one and an evil one and that they're at war for which one controls us. He said the one we feed wins. Then he looked me dead in the eye and said that evil one can't eat if we cut off it's food supply. What he'd told me. It made sense. You know? I was happier when I wasn't with my dad. I was a better person when I wasn't there. And I just...I never went back after."

She was silent for a long while. When she finally spoke again her voice cracked. "You think I shouldn't come back here?"

"Ain't what I'm saying. I'd never tell you not to come home. I'd never try to stop you from seeing your parents. Even though I gotta admit, I ain't crazy about either of them if I'm being honest. But it ain't my decision to make. You're right, my situation was different than yours. But this one, it ain't exactly good for you either. And you know that."

"I do. I do know that. But I don't know what I should do Daryl. I really don't."

"I know." He kissed her forehead. "But I think what you did tonight was a start. Letting them know you ain't gonna tolerate being talked to like that. And whatever you decide to do, I'm here for you. No matter what. And Rick, you got your brother, too. All of our friends."

()()()

Carol couldn't exactly remember falling asleep last night but she remembered that, despite everything that happened, she fell asleep pretty quickly and she slept deeply, even with the noise from the ongoing storm.

When she woke the next morning it had been because she'd had an eerie feeling that someone was watching her, standing over her, and it jolted her awake, her eyes popping open rapidly. She blinked several times. trying to decide if she was dreaming or not. "Daddy?" She asked, her voice still husky with sleep, as she took in the figure of her father standing in her door way, arms folded over his chest, starting disapprovingly at her bed.

"This isn't the spare room Carol." He replied, sternly.

She glanced next to her where Daryl was still soundly asleep beside her, lying flat on his stomach. She groaned and rolled over from her side on to her back. "We live together daddy. I lived with Ed for years before that. It's not like I'm a virgin."

His eyes darted to the mound of Daryl's clothes on the floor and then to Daryl himself. The covers were pulled down and half of his bare back was exposed. Her father let out a low growl. "That doesn't mean I condone you sleeping with boys in my house."

"I didn't have sex with him in your house. We just slept. He didn't wanna sleep in _your wife's_ office because of the way she talked to him and looked at him yesterday." She added coldly. "And how many times did you let Lori spend the night here and sleep in Rick's room?"

"He's a boy, that's different. I don't like walking upstairs in my own house and seeing my daughter in bed with a half naked boy." He grumbled. "No matter how old you are, you're always my little girl."

"Really?" She hissed quietly. Not wanting to wake Daryl. "Because that attitude would have been nice last night. Hell, it would have been nice to hear you say something like that at any point in my life whenever Patricia was lighting into me about something." She couldn't help but feel guilty as the words spewed from her mouth. She was raised not to disrespect her elders. But it felt so cathartic to get what she'd been feeling almost her whole life off of her chest.

Richard Grimes, a man who stood about 6'2 and weighed nearly two hundred pounds, boasting a set of broad shoulders, with salt and pepper hair, dark, almost navy blue, eyes, who almost always carried that no non-sense look that most cops liked to wear, let his head fall shamefully to his chest. "I know. You're right."

"I...you...what?"

"I haven't always been the father I should be." He admitted. "Not to you. I've made mistakes. Plenty of them. But I've always loved you." He rested his hands on his hips. "That's, um, that's why I wanted to come up this morning...I wanna talk to you. Will you come downstairs and talk?"

Carol tugged at her bottom lip and nodded. "Give me a minute to get dressed and I'll be right down."


	74. Chapter 74

Carol didn't bother getting completely dressed before the talk she was about to have with her father. She simply pulled on a pair of yoga pants and put her bra on, remaining in the over-sized t-shirt she'd slept in. She reached into her bag and grabbed a hair tie, pushing her hair into a messy pony-tail.

Glancing over her shoulder, she took a long look at Daryl, who was still knocked out. She was a little surprised he seemed to have slept so well in an unfamiliar place, a place she knew he probably didn't feel comfortable in. But maybe he hadn't slept well, maybe he hadn't even been asleep long at all before she woke up. She decided not to wake him up just to tell him she was going downstairs. She didn't anticpate being down there all that long anyway.

She quietly bounded down the stairs, making a pit stop in the bathroom that was located to the right of the bottom of the staircase. It had been the bathroom she and Rick had shared growing up since there wasn't one upstairs and since the only other bathroom was in her parents room. It had been a pain in her ass having to run downstairs and try not to bust her ass while she was in a hurry any time she woke up in the middle of the night with a strong urge to pee.

She took care of her business and brushed her teeth, then slowly walked into the living room where her dad said he'd be waiting for her. She found him waiting on the couch, a coffee mug in hand. She wasn't sure what to expect from this conversation and his words to her upstairs had floored her. Admitting his own parenting faults. She hadn't been expecting that. She also hadn't been expecting her to be in her room at all when she woke up. She was a little creeped out by how he'd been standing there watching her and Daryl sleep. It was pretty fucking weird.

"I made one for you." He told her, motioning to the cup sitting on top of a coaster on the oak coffee table. "French Vanilla creamer and lots of sugar. Like you always used to make before school."

She reluctantly grabbed the cup, sliding her index finger over the rim. Steam was rising, letting her know it was fresh and hot.

"Are you gonna sit down?" Richard asked his daughter.

Carol nodded, but didn't sit on the couch next to the man. Instead, she moved to take a seat on the over-sized chair she and Daryl had been sitting in last night before dinner. It was in the far corner of the room, whereas the couch was against the wall, in direct view of the huge flat screen TV. She scrunched her legs up to her chest and blew some of the steam from the cup.

He smiled at his daughter. "I always used to fuss at you for all the coffee you used to drink in high school. And you never listened because you said there was nothing different about you drinking a cup before class than there was me drinking one before work. Do you remember that?"

She gingerly took a sip, being careful not to scold her lips. "I do."

"You'd be the first one down in the kitchen in the mornings making a cup. You always left enough for me to have on too and you'd always leave my favorite mug out for me." He fondly recalled.

Carol wasn't exactly in the mood for recollection time. She was still feeling a bit resentful. "What do you wanna talk about." She mumbled.

Richard sighed and swept a hand through his salt and pepper hair. "Suppose last night for starters."

"Well...talk."

"Okay." He rubbed his chin. "What happened with you and your mother.."

"Step." She corrected. "She's my step-mother. My real mother's dead."

"Right...step-mother." He agreed with some reluctance. "What happened between you two down there, it shouldn't have happened."

"Look." She hissed through clenched teeth, working hard to keep her voice as calm as possible because all of the pent up emotions she'd been hiding for years were festering at the surface, ready to burst, and she knew blowing up on her dad this morning wasn't going to solve anything. Not that she felt whatever talk he wanted to have could really fix things anyway. "Maybe you think I was out of line. Maybe you think I was disrespectful, but I couldn't keep my mouth shut any longer. How she's talked to me my whole life, looked down on me, I just can't look aside while she does it any more. And how she talked to Daryl, how she looked at him, it was completely out of line. She doesn't even know him. I don't regret a thing I said. It was the truth. She is why I don't come home often. Being in this house, listening to that, I can't do it. And I'm an adult and I don't have to anymore."

Her dad groaned. "Why do you automatically assume that I was going to say you were in the wrong on this?"

"Why wouldn't I?" She spat. "You've never stood up to me or defended me where she's concerned. Not once my entire life that I can remember."

"Maybe I didn't in front of you and Rick, but that doesn't mean I didn't have talks with her behind closed doors. It doesn't mean I didn't talk to her last night after everyone stormed off upstairs."

"You talked with her? Talked?" She scoffed. "How many of those little talks were you going to have with her before you decided enough was enough? Huh? Before you realized I was your daughter and she didn't have the right to talk to me that way?"

"What do you think I should have done? What did you want me to do? Leave her? She was my wife. The mother of my child. It wasn't that simple."

"Yeah, and I'm your child. My mom was the mother of your child. You didn't seem to have any qualms about leaving her."

Richard sighed sadly. "You don't know the whole story."

"You're right. I don't. I don't even know half of it. You know why? Because you wouldn't tell me anything dad! Not a damn thing! I don't know anything about my mom because you wouldn't ever talk to me about her. Everyone wanted to sweep it under the rug and pretend like she never existed unless someone was pointing out something horrible about her. The only things I remember about her are that she used to read to me before bed when I stayed with her, that one time I busted my knee when I fell off a tricycle and she kissed it and bandaged it up, and that she used to drink Dr. Pepper out of a straw in a glass bottle. That's it. Those are the only memories I have. I don't know how you met her. Just that you were young and she got pregnant pretty quick and it didn't work. Judging from the time line between mine and Rick's birth, it doesn't seem like you wasted too much time moving on." She gripped her coffee cup until her knuckles turned white. "I can't say you were a terrible father. You weren't. You taught me how to ride a bike and shoot a gun, always told me you loved me, bought me my first car, helped put me through my first year of college. But you weren't exactly the best father either and I'd be a liar if I said I wasn't pissed at you for how things played out."

"You have a right to be mad. You do. We kept things from you. Things you had a right to know about. And everything with you and Patricia...things shouldn't have been like that. She was wrong for how she handled them. She just...I think...I think she resented you. Resented the fact that I had a child with someone else. But I know that wasn't fair to you. You were just a kid. I know now that I should have done more to stop it. To smooth things over with you two."

Carol's voice cracked, but she refused to cry again like she had last night." But you didn't. Not then and not now. If you know that now, why didn't you do something last night?"

"I told her not to start with you when you got here. I did...I told her to let it be. That I just wanted things to go smoothly while you were here and to not start something."

"But she didn't listen, dad. You knew she wouldn't. You had to know that. Then when shit hit the fan with her you still didn't stop it while it was happening. No matter what you said after...she still did what she always does."

He hung his head. "I thought...I guess I was...I just." He paused and swiped a hand over his face. "This isn't gonna be a good excuse. Nothing is. But let me start at the beginning. Way back in the beginning, before you were even born."

Carol's brows furrowed. "What?"

"Just give a minute and I'll explain." He anxiously swept his hands over his khaki Carhartt pants. "I knew Patricia before I knew your mother. She was my first serious girlfriend back when I was a junior in high school. We lived in different counties, but we met at a football game and hit it off. We exchanged numbers and that was it. We were constantly together after that."

"Ummm...okay?"

"She was a freshman. I was sixteen and she was fourteen when we first started dating. Her parents didn't like it a whole lot but they let us see each other under supervision. Or, they thought we only saw each other under supervision anyway." He shook his head. "Later in the school year she turned fifteen and eventually I turned seventeen and the next thing I know she's handing me a positive pregnancy test."

Carol jolted upright and almost spilled her coffee on herself. "I have a brother or sister I never knew about?"

Richard bit his lip and shook her his head somberly. "No. She miscarried at nine weeks. Not long after we found out."

"Oh..."

"Her parents were furious when they found out she was pregnant. Not that I can say I blame them now. I would have been if some boy knocked you up at fifteen. They told me I was gonna marry her and do right by her. Which was fine by me. It was. I loved her. She was my first love. I wanted to. I bought a cheap ring and asked her to marry me and we picked a date. But after the miscarriage...her mom and dad...they decided that was God's way of saying their daughter wasn't fit being a mother yet. That it was her chance at redemption. At making a better life for herself. They forced us to stop seeing each other. They said they'd press charges on me for statutory rape if I didn't stay away from her. I didn't want to end it. I still loved her...But I didn't have a choice. I didn't wanna go to jail. We always promised each other we'd be together when turned she eighteen. That we'd find each other and we'd be together."

"And then you found my mom and knocked her up." Carol pieced together for him.

"I didn't just knock her up, Carol. I cared about her."

"Pfft."

"I did." He firmly insisted. "I did love your mom. She was the first person I let myself love after Patricia."

"Yeah, seeing as how you married her and all and lived happily ever after."

"She didn't wanna get married then. I asked her to! I did! You don't understand. She was young. She was only seventeen when she got pregnant with you. I was only nineteen."

"You sure had a thing for younger girls." She smarted.

"Isn't your current boyfriend your little brother's age." He bit back.

She put her coffee cup down on the lamp stand next to her and folded her arms across her chest. She knew the age gap was pretty much the same as hers and Daryl's and it was a childish comment to make but she was feeling catty.

"It was two years, Carol. Patricia and your mom. I was just two years older than both."

"I know." She muttered. "I shouldn't have said that. Sorry."

"It's alright. I get it. Your mad." He cleared his throat and continued his story. "I met your mom hanging out behind the movie theatre. She was with a group of people I knew. It took my breath away the first time I saw her. She had a head full of auburn hair and the most beautiful blue eyes I'd ever seen in my life." He smiled at his daughter. "Yours are a mirror image of hers."

He waited for Carol to say something and when she didn't he continued. "We stayed out there talking almost all night, long after everyone left. Things escalated pretty quickly with us. We spent every spare moment together. Her home life...it wasn't the best. Her dad drank a lot and he'd get really mean. She wanted an out. She wanted a family of her own. And I...I don't know. I was young and Patricia and I being forced to break up, especially after losing the baby...it was hard on me. I didn't wanna lose another woman I loved. I'd always thought about the child I never had. Wondered what kinda father I would have been. I wanted your mom out of the situation she was in. We decided to have a baby. And that was that. It didn't take long before she was pregnant with you. Two and a half months, maybe. Not damn near long enough for two people to know each other before they decide they're gonna have a kid together."

"I was planned?" Carol asked, her voice strained. "You...you both...intentionally made me?"

He nodded. "We were kids. Impulsive kids who didn't know what the hell we were getting into."

Carol felt her chest heave at his words. "Are you trying to say you regret me? That I was a mistake?"

"No. No. That's not what I meant. I don't regret you. I'm glad you're here. I just mean that we were in way over our heads and neither of us knew how hard it would be. How expensive a child was. Especially after you got here. After you were real. Things got really hard for us. We fought all the time. Okay? Not just arguing. I'm talking screaming matches. She'd throw things. You'd cry and cry. And she was drinking. She started drinking when you were probably only a week old. And it got way out of hand. That's when things would be the worst. When I'd come home from work and she'd be drunk as a Cooter Brown with you in the house. You were so little. So, so, little and you didn't understand what was going on. I can remember holding you and crying because I didn't know what to do and it wasn't the life I wanted. I didn't know things were gonna be like that."

"And I'm just supposed to see her as the villain? The drunk mother that didn't take care of me or love me? Is that supposed to make you and Patricia the hero's here?"

"Stop twisting my words. That's not what I'm saying. I'm not trying to vilify anyone. Your mother did love you. She just had a problem. She was depressed and she was genetically pre-disposed to alcoholism. She turned to it as a coping mechanism. I tried to help her. I got her...me and my parents...we got her into this rehab clinic when you were a month old. It was an hour away, but it was a private facility and they were supposed to help her. While she was gone...Patricia had turned eighteen and she looked me up. Found my number. Called me. She thought we were gonna be together. Like we'd planned. I had to tell her I was father. That I was with someone else and that I didn't wanna be with her anymore. She flipped out. She completely went off on me. She said she'd waited for me all that time. That she'd counted down the days until she could be with me again. She was heartbroken I hadn't done the same."

"If that's supposed to make me feel bad for her, it doesn't." She growled.

Richard ignored her comment and kept going. "I thought that was it. I didn't think I'd hear from her again. I thought your mom would come home from getting the help she needed and that we'd work things out and be a family for you. That's what I wanted. It really was. I tried. I swear I did. And I'm not saying it was all her fault. I was stubborn and hard headed and I know it wasn't easy to live with me. I'm sure I didn't make it easier on her coming home and leaving dirty clothes all over the place, not putting my dishes away like I should, I could have done more. But I was only a little over twenty, your mom was barely eighteen. It's like I tried telling you earlier, we didn't know what we were in for. We didn't know each other."

"Why did you split up for good?"

He bit his lower lip and shook his head. "I don't think you're gonna wanna hear that."

"I'm a big girl. Tell me."

"She was good for a few weeks after she came home. Didn't touch a drop of alcohol. We still fought like hell. She smoked like a chimney but that was the least of my worries. At least I knew you were alright. I didn't have to worry about whether or not she was taking care of you when I was gone. Until one day...I did. Came home from work and found her passed out on the couch. An empty bottle of gin beside her. You were laying in your play pen sceaming bloody murder. Your diaper was soiled, you were starving, you had a God awful rash. I just..I lost it...I told her to get out. I couldn't take it anymore."

She looked away from her dad and wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. "That was it? She left? Where did she go?"

"She moved in with some friends. I took you and moved in with my parents. Your grandparents thought that a child should have her mother in her life so they sent her to rehab again. Got her some more help. She stayed for a long while the next time. While she was gone I ended up running into Patricia one day at the supermarket. We reconnected and we started seeing each other. Picked up where left off, sort of. Then your mom...she got out...cleaned herself up...she found a job as a waitress. She started asking to see you again. She promised things would be different. She said she just wanted a relationship with her little girl. We worked out an arrangement where she'd get you a few hours a day, then that progressed to one night a week, then that moved to where we split the time you equally during the week. She was doing good. Really good. She moved in with a friend from high school that helped out with you a lot. I was proud of her."

"But you didn't go back to her..."

Richard sighed heavily. "She knew I had started seeing Patricia. I was honest about it with her from the start. She didn't like it...not because I think she wanted me back...but because I think she didn't want another woman around you. She didn't want someone else playing mama to you. But she didn't try anything with me. She didn't try to take me away from Patricia or pull me back to her. But there was a time I thought about it...she was doing so good...I thought about telling her we should give it another try for you. That we owed it to you...And I told Patricia that I wanted to give it another shot with her because of you. You can probably guess how that went..."

"You broke up with her for my mom?" Carol asked, clearly surprised.

"Not exactly. I decided all this without consulting your mom...but she didn't wanna get back with me. By the time I decided all of that she'd met some guy at the diner she was waitressing at and decided she didn't wanna work things out. She said we got along better co-parenting you than we ever did living together. I went crawling back to Patricia because I did still love her when I broke it off with her for your mom, and if I was being honest with myself, I was only gonna try to be with her again for you. She took me back after I begged and pleaded with her and told her how much I loved her and that I'd never loved anyone how the way I loved her. We started things up again but things between her and your mom were never good again after that. They fought constantly and she couldn't stand the idea of me around your mother because she swore I was still in love with her...And I think...I think that's when she started resenting you the way she does."

Carol couldn't stop herself from scoffing at his words. "That's not an excuse dad! It doesn't give her the right to be the way she is toward me!"

"I'm just trying to explain it from her perspective..."

"Yeah, well her perspective sucks. You can both try to justify until Kingdom come but it doesn't excuse it. I was a kid. I didn't ask to be born into that mess. You chose that for me. She chose to stay with you knowing I existed. That I was a part of the picture."

"I know..." He sighed, planting his elbows on his knees and letting his head fall into his palms. "I know, Carol. It shouldn't have been how it was... It should have been different for you. I'm sorry."

She pressed her lips together hard, biting back all of the emotion she was feeling. Even if he agreed with her now, it didn't change how things were. And she still had so many questions about her mom. About what happened. "When did she start drinking again? Why? She was sober for a while, right? So why'd she fall back into that?"

"She did do really good for a while. She was. She was clean. She got you when she was supposed to. Even with her and Patricia fighting like cats and dogs at each exchange things were okay otherwise...until she found Patricia was pregnant with Rick...I that hit her pretty hard...it was like the idea of the three of us ever being a family again someday was fully off the table and it hit her harder than she ever could have expected. Harder than I could have expected. With Patricia going to be your step-mom I think she was worried she'd be replaced. That eventually you wouldn't want to go to her house anymore because you had a complete family herewith us."

She wiped a tear out of the corner of her and steadied her voice. "She was my mom. Why would she think that? Why would she ever think that I wouldn't need her."

"I don't know. I can't answer that for you. She loved you, Carol. She did. She just...went through a depression after you were born, one she was probably dealing with before but I didn't know, and she turned to alcohol to cope. But once she worked through the worst of it, once she'd gotten some help Evelynn was never happier than she was when she had you. And even when she started drinking again, she didn't do it when you were there on the weekends. I promise. She spent that time with you. I should have made sure you knew that. I should have told you more about her. I should have? I don't know what I should have done." He admitted, regretfully. "Been a man, I guess. I just...I didn't wanna lose the woman I loved. Not again. And I didn't want my family split. I still don't. I want all of us to get along."

Carol sat quietly for a long time, taking in everything that had just been revealed to her. Things she should have been privy to a long time ago. There's still so much she wanted to know about her mom. Quirks about her personality. Her likes and dis-likes. Her favorite food. Could she sing? Did she ever play any instruments? And her dad's answers didn't erase the past. They didn't even give her a satisfactory explanation for why things had been the way they had. It was a reason, but it wasn't a good one. Not there ever really could be one in her opinion. "Dad...I don't know what to say. What you told me just now, I'm glad I know it now. I wish...I wish I'd known it a long time ago. But I can't pretend it fixes things. I can't pretend that I'm just going to forgive Patricia and sweep everything under the rug because of it. It sucks you two lost a baby. It sucks you were forced to break up. But that wasn't my fault. You chose to love someone else after and to bring another human being in this world. Patricia chose to hold a grudge over me for your choices..."

Richard's voice cracked and he stared into his daughter's eyes. "What are you saying? You're not ever going to come back here?"

"No...I'm not...I don't know dad. That's not what I want...It's not. But I also won't come back here again and be talked to like that. I get I fucked up some things in my life. But I don't need them rubbed in my face. I don't need to be judged the rest of my life for it. I'm trying to get my life back on track. I'm trying to start over here."

"Well, can't we start over, as a family?"

"That's not really up to me. It's gonna be left up to you and your wife. I'm willing to try to move past things if she's willing to stop berating me. If you're willing to stick up for me if she says something out of line." Her voice grew firmer. "And Daryl." She insisted. "I don't want her belittling him either. He's a good guy and I love him. I'm not gonna listen to her talk about him like he's less than her because he grew up with a different culture." She batted her watery, big blue eyes several times and her voice was sorrowful. "But if things don't change...if it's more of the same...I won't come back here. It'll be on you then. If you wanna see me, you can get my address and you can come to me. Alone."

"Things will change. I promise. They will."

"I hope so. I really do, daddy."

"Look, um, I know this isn't much, I know it's years too late, but would you like to see some pictures of your mom? Maybe find out more about who she was?"

"You have pictures of her?"

"Not a lot." He admitted. "A few stuffed in an old photo album put away out in my shop. Sit tight and I'll go get them?"

"I'd like that very much." She nodded. "While you're out doing that I'm gonna go upstairs for a minute and check on Daryl. See if he's still asleep. I'm sure he doesn't feel very comfortable here and I don't want him to feel like he has to hide out up there. if he's awake."

"Alright. But don't be long, I'll be right back inside. Bring him back down with you if you want."

 **This was difficult for me to write because there's really not ever a good reason for a father to let their wife treat their child from a previous relationship inferior and I really struggled with capturing Carol's feelings here and trying to form a reason from her dad's perspective on why things were how they were. It's one of those things that, no matter what, isn't going to be fixed in a day, or maybe can't ever fully be fixed. I just wanted to provide some back story for what happened there and let Carol have some long awaited insight into what happened. It's by far not my favorite chapter I've written for this story, but I felt it was necessary to get the story to a point I can close it out.**


	75. Chapter 75

When Daryl woke up the next morning he found that Carol was no longer soundly sleeping next to him. He blinked a few times to push himself into full consciuosness and scanned his eyes around the room for her. All he found was the shirt and panties she'd slept in on floor beside her bed. He almost laughed out loud at the sight of her clothes piled on the floor. Back at home she'd never change and leave her clothes lying there in a messy pile. She was such a neat freak.

He sat up in bed, stretched until both shoulders popped, then emitted a loud, growl-like yawn. He hopped out of bed, stepping over the pile of jeans and t-shirt he'd left in a heap on the floor last night, then headed for Rick's room in search of Carol. At home whenever he woke up and she wasn't there next to him, it likely meant she was on a run or was cooking them up something in the kitchen, but he had a hard time picturing her downstairs cooking up a storm where one of her parents might walk in and start talking to her. Not after how things ended with them last night.

He walked the few feet from Carol's door to Rick's, which was straight across from hers. He didn't have to bother knocking because Rick's door was already open. His friend was leaned against his headboard, typing away on his phone. Carol was nowhere in sight, but Daryl knocked lightly on the frame to get Rick's attention.

Rick craned his neck over his shoulder at the sound. "Oh, hey. What's up, man?" He asked when he noticed it was Daryl, his voice still sleep laden.

"Nothing. Just woke up. You seen Carol?"

Rick shook his head. "Just got up myself. You didn't check her room?"

"Where you think I slept?"

Rick's brows arched. "I thought my dad said for you to sleep in mom's office?"

"Yeah, well, no offense to you, but uh, I don't really give two shits about what your old man wants."

"Fair enough." Rick shrugged, knowing Daryl's opinion of either of his parents probably wasn't very high after what he'd seen last night. "You check downstairs? She might be in the shower or in the kitchen. Knowing her, she might be out for a run."

"Yeah...maybe."

"Was she okay? After I went to bed and all?"

Daryl eased his way into Rick's room and collapsed at the foot of the bed, placing his arms behind his head, staring straight up at the ceiling. "Good as she can be, I reckon. It's kinda crazy. You know?"

Rick didn't know. Not at all. He had no clue what Daryl was getting at. "What is?"

"You're family's almost as fucked up as mine. I used to think you came from this upper-middle class family where y'all had every thing you ever wanted and that whenever you went home you had these weird ass get togethers where everybody sat around smiling and laughing and shit. That everything was just peachy. Perfect mama and daddy that loved you. I had no idea your parents sucked, too."

Rick swiped his hand through his hair and sighed. "I mean, that's kinda what it's like for me. You know? Things aren't bad for me when I come home. I don't catch the shit she does from my mom. And yeah, I know it sucks, I know it's not fair, but they're my parents. I do love them, just like I love my sister. It's easier to whitewash somebody's sins when you care about them, especially immediate family. And I guess...I don't know...I guess it was easier for me to let you think things were like that. It was easier to pretend my family was fucking normal and not get into all that shit. That's why I never told you about any of it. Why I never mentioned the fact that we have different moms before Carol told you."

"Hey, we all got shit we don't wanna talk about. I don't really blame you for that."

"I suppose you're right. I mean, I don't even know why you don't go see your dad, other than the fact that you say he's an asshole and every time you used to come back from visiting the few times you did freshman year, you were in the shittiest mood ever."

Daryl's eyes flicked around Rick's bedroom. It looked like it still belonged to some high school version of him. Trophies lined along white shelves that hung on the walls, a book case was on the far right wall next to the bed filled with Sherlock Holmes novels, a mini basketball goal hung over his closet door. Daryl's old man had converted his and Merle's room as a storehouse for all the homemade muskadine wine he used to make the moment Daryl moved out. "My old man's a real piece of work." He muttered. "Treated me and Merle kinda like your mom treats Carol, just a little worse."

"Worse? How so?"

Daryl pulled his hands out from behind his head and rubbed his face. He inhaled, filling his lungs with as much air as he could, trying to brace himself for this conversation and trying to gauge what all he wanted to say about it. Rick might have been his best friend, but that didn't mean this was easy to talk about with anyone. His hands dropped to his side and he licked his lips anxiously. "Them scars on my back, you remember how I said I got them?"

Rick scratched his chin, trying to re-call the story. "You fell out of a barn or something when you were a kid, I think. You said you landed on some glass?"

"Yeah...Yeah, that's probably what I told you. But it ain't what happened."

Rick pulled his knees to his chest, his face immediately becoming troubled as realization washed over him. "Jesus, dude. I'm sorry." He stared wide eyed at his friend, who was unmoving at the foot of the bed, eyes trained on the white ceiling above him. "Was it just...just that once."

Daryl shook his head, but didn't elaborate further.

"Fuck...I'm really sorry."

"Don't be. It was a long time ago. I'm fine now." He mumbled.

Rick was silent a moment. "Does Carol know?"

"Mhm. First person I ever told. You're the second. Hershel kinda knows, he pieced some stuff together, but I ain't ever really talked to him about." He cleared his throat, growing highly uncomfortable with the amount of questions Rick was throwing at him. "Anyway, this ain't fucking Dr. Phil or some shit where I need to talk about my feelings. I just...I figured since I got to see firsthand how fucked up your family is you might as well really know messed up mine is."

Rick could feel the thick tension that settled between them and searched for something, anything, to change the subject. His eyes landed on the shiny metal bar sticking through Daryl's left nipple. "Aren't you gonna take that out?"

His lifted his head slightly and his eyes landed on his nipple, it was less inflamed than it had been yesterday, but there was still a slight throbbing there. "Don't know yet. Gotta ask Carol what she thinks about it. Ain't really had a chance."

"Wasn't she with you when you got it?"

"Yeah, but I was drunk off my ass. I don't remember what she said about it."

"Why the hell did you want it anyway? Do you remember?"

"Yeah, that part I remember." He chuckled. "And trust me, you don't wanna know."

"Tell me."

"Nah."

"Come on!" He begged. "We agreed on the two of you not keeping secrets from me anyone!"

"You really wanna know?"

"Yeah."

"Alright, but remember, you asked." He warned. "I was fucked up and talking out of my ass. I wanted your sister to get her nipples pierced and I thought if I got mine done she'd be convinced to get hers." He watched Rick's brow furrow and he chuckled again. "You're the one who asked."

"Please, please, tell me she didn't!" He held up a hand and shook his head vigorously. "You know what? Never mind. Don't tell me. Not ever. In fact, while we're at it, you're banned from here on out about talking to me about anything sex related because I'll know whatever you're talking about is involving my sister."

The sound of the stairs creaking had Daryl irgoring Rick's comment and pushing up on his elbows, straining his neck to see if he could make out who was headed their way from his position on the bed.

()()()

Carol could hear Rick and Daryl's voices as she was mounting the staircase, obviously signaling to her that her boyfriend was already awake and talking to her brother. She headed straight for Rick's room when she reached the top step, noticing the duo on Rick's bed from his wide open door.

Daryl and Rick were already looking at her and she nodded her head at them. She raised a suggestive brow and smirked mischievously. "My boyfriend and my brother in bed together, half naked. Should I call Jerry Springer?"

"Hey." Rick winked, teasingly. "I liked him first."

Daryl flipped Rick off and turned his attention to Carol. "Where you been? Woke up and you wasn't there."

She walked over to the bed, collapsing onto it, her feet planted towards Rick's head and her check resting on Daryl's bare chest. She was turned where she could face him. "Talking to my dad. He came to my room this morning wanting to know if we could discuss a few things."

"Yeah? How'd that go?" He grunted.

"I don't know." She admitted, rather sadly. "We talked a lot about things we should have a long time ago. But it doesn't change things...it doesn't make it better. There's just no excuse..."

"What all did he say?"

She glanced back up to her brother and then to Daryl, and let out an exhausted sigh. "A lot. I'll fill you both in a little later. I was just coming upstairs to see if you were still asleep. I didn't want you to feel like you had to be stuck up here. Dad's supposed to be getting some pictures of my mom, my real mom, that he had put away. I wanted to look at them."

He didn't even hesitate to ask. "You want me with you?"

She shrugged a shoulder nonchalantly as she worried her bottom lip. She did, she very much did want him there next to her. She knew she was going to get emotional looking at those pictures, the conversation had the potential to get deep again, and she'd feel better with him by her side, but she didn't want him to feel like he had to. And she didn't think he actually wanted to be around her dad or chance running into her step-mom. "Whatever you wanna do." She mumbled.

"Let me put some clothes on. I'll go with you."

()()()

The two of them sat on the couch with her dad, Carol in the middle, flipping though the small photo album. Her dad would pause at each photo and give her background on the ones he could remember taking or being taken of the three of them together. He even took the time to talk to her a bit about her mom as they went through the pictures. She learned her mother's favorite food and color. Carol learned that her mom played flute in her high school band. She even learned that her mom had gotten a small tattoo on her wrist of Carol's name in cursive when she was two years old. That was a detail she hadn't been able to recall on her own.

It felt good for her to finally learn about all these small details after so long. She finally felt like she was able to piece together an idea of who the woman was. Of what she'd been like. And it was something that was long overdue.

Her dad had given her the photo album to keep and apologized for not going through it with her sooner. He'd said Patricia didn't even know he'd kept it all these years and he'd hidden it out in the shop so she wouldn't find it. Carol didn't think that she'd ever fully comprehend why he put that woman's wants and needs above the needs of his own child.

But what happened, it happened, and she couldn't change the past. What the future held for her relationship with her dad and Patricia, she didn't really know the answer to that yet. The ball was in her dad's court. She meant what she'd said to him, their entire family relationship depended on his and Patricia's actions towards her from here on out.

She wasn't really sure where Patricia was, she hadn't seen her all morning, and, to be honest, she was perfectly fine with that. Her dad had gone into town to run some errands and it was just her, Rick, and Daryl at the house right now. The three of them were sitting out on the screened in back porch, Carol and Daryl were sharing a cigarette and Rick was sitting out there with them, occasionally casting a disappointed glance in his sister's direction as he watched her puff away, but not opening his mouth to say anything about it.

Daryl took one long, last drag on the cigarette and stubbed it out against the surface of the metal table. The sky was baby blue and the sun was shining brightly, not a cloud in sight. There were puddles that resembled small ponds out in the yard from all of the rain the night before, but it didn't look like there'd be a repeat today. "You wanna head out when your dad gets back?" Daryl asked Carol. He assumed she wouldn't wanna stay until Sunday anymore after everything that happened. Everything she told him she'd learned that day. She'd seemed overwhelmed recalling the information to Daryl and Rick.

She looked at Rick and then back to Daryl, then shook her head slowly, as if she wasn't completely sure about the answer she was about to give. "I wanna stay. I wanna see how things go the rest of the weekend. I wanna see if he can keep his word."

"You sure that's what you wanna do?" She didn't look entirely sure and he wanted to double check with her, to give her a minute to re-think it."

"Maybe not." She sighed in frustration. "I don't know, Daryl. But...I need to see what happens. I wanna see if he can walk the walk with what he's saying."

Daryl gave her a small nod of understanding. "If that's what you want. Like I said last night, your family, your call. Just don't let them treat you like that no more." She nodded to him, but didn't say anything. "I should probably head out soon then. While it's sunny and clear. Just in case another damn storm comes out of nowhere."

It hadn't occurred to her when she decided to stay that Daryl would go back home and her stomach coiled at the thought of being here without him. Sure, Rick would be here, and in the past, her brother's presence had been enough. But since she'd started this relationship with Daryl, she found he was her safe place. Her calm in the storm, and having him here last night, him being there when she broke down about everything, he gave her a sense of reassurance she'd never known before.

Her stomach coiled even tighter when she realized they'd be apart the next two days. A very nasty, unwelcomed, unsolicited thought crossed her mind. She almost shuddered as she tried hard to bite it back.

"That's probably smart." She forced herself to muster out. She was sure not to convey the emotion she was actually feeling.

"You think I could use the shower before I get ready to go?" He pointed to his nipple and then his tattoo. "I probably need to clean these."

"Of course." She replied, stone-faced.

"You need something else to wear?" Rick asked.

"Nah, I'm good. My clothes from last night should be dry. I can give you yours back." He stood up from his seat and leaned down and pecked Carol on the cheek. "I'll be back in a few." He winked at her. "Unless you wanna join me?"

Rick muttered something but Carol drowned out the sound of his voice and she shook her head at Daryl. "Not here. That'd be weird and my dad might get back before we get out."

()()()

Carol and Rick continued to sit on the porch together while Daryl showered, but she hadn't even said two words since he left. She'd been lost in her own little world. Unable to drown out the scenarios playing in her head, no matter how hard she tried. She went to light another cigarette to try to help quell her nerves, but the lighter was shaking so bad in her hand she couldn't get it and her strange behavior caught Rick's attention.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing." She snapped, continuing her efforts to try and light it as the cigarette quivered on the edge of her lips and her hand trembled.

Rick slowly reached out took the lighter from her wobbly grasp. "Let me."

He was able to light it for her and she sucked in the first hit like it was much needed oxygen and she'd been suffocating. "Thank you." She replied, exhaling a steady stream of smoke.

"What the hell's going on, Carol?" He asked, almost demandingly. "You were fine five minutes ago. If you're that upset about staying here, maybe you should go back home with Daryl."

"It's not about that. It's not about staying here. I mean, I'm nervous about how that's gonna go, but even if shit goes south, I've dealt with it before. I can make it two days."

"Then what the hell?"

"Ugh!" She groaned. "I just...I don't know if I can talk to you about this. I don't think...you'll understand. I mean, you might, but you might not."

"Try me."

"I haven't been away from Daryl since I moved here." She hesitantly confessed. "We've constantly been together since we started fooling around."

"Oh my God! You're one of those people that can't stand to be away from their significant other?" He chuckled. "It's just two days, sis. You'll live. There's face time on your phone. And texting and calling."

"It's not that, Rick. I mean, I'll miss him, yeah. But it's not just that."

"Well...what then?"

She wobbled her left leg up and down nervously and shook her head at him. "What I'm about to say, it's nothing he's done. Not really. And I don't want you getting mad at him or thinking he's done something wrong. Because he hasn't. He's really been wonderful to me so far. Completely honest with me and so caring."

"Okay?"

"I just...the other night when he was getting that stupid damn nipple ring..."

"So you don't like it?" Rick laughed.

"Hell no!" She scoffed. "The tattoos, they're sexy. I like them. But the nipple ring, no. It's not my kink...Anyway, you're getting me off topic."

"Go on."

"When he got it." She continued. "He got it because he wanted me to get one. He said it would convince me. And he kept saying how hot it would be and how hot it would be if I got a tattoo. He was begging me to do it."

"Umm...okay?" Rick wasn't following where this was going.

"Well, obviously he likes those kinda things on girls. And I know he does, because on our first date we went to this restaurant in the next town over, you know, so you or anyone else wouldn't see us."

"Of course." He grumbled.

"When we were there...we ran into this girl who worked there in the parking lot as we were leaving. She had a nose ring and sleeves on both arms..."

"So?"

"I'm getting to the point if you'd let me finish!" She snapped. Rick held up a hand and she kept going. "She started yelling at him and telling me he was gonna fuck me in an alley and I'd never hear from him again...just like he did her."

"No way! How in the hell did he manage to pick a place one of his one-night stands worked?"

"I don't know." She whined. "But he did and it was awkward and he was embarrassed. I didn't get mad. It wasn't his fault. She was his past. You know? It wasn't a big deal at the time."

"Why is it now then?"

"Because she has tattoos and piercings and he's obviously into that sort of thing and I don't have any of that. It's not me. It's not who I am."

"Carol, I still don't get what this has to do with Daryl going home and you staying here."

She looked down, but didn't say anything.

"You think he's gonna...cheat on you? With the tattooed girl at the restaurant?" Rick hesitantly asked, wondering if that's what she was getting at.

"NO!...not...not with her."

Rick raised a brow. "But with someone?"

"Not really." She sighed. "I mean, in my heart, no I don't think he'd do that. I trust him. I do. I know he loves me. I know he wouldn't do anything to hurt me...but..."

"But there's this voice inside your head that tells you otherwise." He finished for her.

"Yeah. It just...I was fine...but it just started clawing away at me when he was about to drop me off before it started raining. I thought about the tattoo shop and then that girl and how she's more of the type he probably used to hook up with...and then all the other girls he was with before me...and Ed and his receptionist..and I just, it just, it's like it wont shut the fuck up. Telling me I'm not enough for him. Telling me he's gonna get bored with me...And I feel like the worst girlfriend ever because of it. I feel like if he knew that he'd be so mad at me for feeling that way after I told him I trusted him. The look in his eyes when I told him I trusted him, you have no idea how happy it made him."

Rick scooted his chair over and wrapped an arm around his sister. Two days ago, he'd never have imagined he'd be having this conversation. "Carol." He softly told her. "I've got that voice in my head too. It's been there the whole time I've been here, away from Michonne. All these what if's and thinking about what Lori and Shane did behind my back."

"You do?"

"Yeah. And I know she's not Lori. But what they did. It fucked me up pretty bad. It makes it hard to completely trust someone again. It makes you doubt that trust sometimes, even when the person you're with hasn't done anything wrong. That doesn't make you a bad girlfriend for it and it doesn't mean Daryl's gonna do anything wrong when you're not with him. You can't watch someone 24/7. If someone wants to cheat, they'll find a way. You know that as well as I do. And, uh, as much as I never thought I'd be saying this, especially to you of all people, Daryl doesn't want anyone else. You don't have anything to worry about. I was there that night at the club when that girl was trying to get with him. I didn't know it at the time, but you were all that was on his mind, and even with her throwing herself at him like she was, she didn't stand a chance. And that was before everything was serious, before he knew how you felt. Who he was before you, I never would have imagined him walking away like that."

"I know, Rick. He came home and told me everything that happened. He didn't have to then. He didn't owe me that explanation. That's part of the reason I feel so bad about this lingering doubt that flared up in my head. He's never given me a reason to think it. I don't want it to be there."

"Talk to him. Maybe it'll help."

"Things are so good between us. They've been so easy. I don't want our relationship to take a step back. I don't want him to get mad and for us to have our first fight."

()()()

Daryl hadn't taken long in the shower, he'd washed his body, shampooed and conditioned his hair, dried off, rinsed his mouth out fervently with mouthwash since he hadn't packed an overnight bag, then dressed in his clothes he'd originally worn up to Carol's parents since they'd dried overnight.

He'd been heading back to the porch to join Carol and Rick when he overheard the conversation they were having. The one that involved him. The door was cracked from where he apparently hadn't shut it all the way on his way to the bathroom and he could hear almost everything the two of them were saying. As bad as he felt for eavesdropping, he hadn't been able to help himself from dipping behind the door where they couldn't see him and listening to what was being said. He was curious as to whether or not Rick would automatically assume he'd be up to no good or if he could really see how much Carol meant to him. He was pleasantly surprised to actually hear that Rick seemed to realize how much he cared about her and that he had no intention of being interested in anyone else, period.

Carol's last sentence, where she mentioned being worried about their relationship taking a step back and them having their first real fight let him know it was time to announce his presence. He took a step forward and slowly pushed the door the rest of the way open, clearing his throat loudly. He looked at Rick and motioned to Carol with his head. "Think me and her need to talk for a minute. You mind?"

"Not at all. I think that's a good idea. I'll be in the living room." He placed a hand on Carol's shoulder as he stood and mouthed. "It's gonna be okay." Before walking away and closing the door all the way behind him.

Carol swallowed, a nervous look settling in her eyes as she met Daryl's. "How much of that did you hear?"

"Enough." He replied.

"Are you mad at me?"

"Come here." He reached down and grabbed her hand, pulling her up into a standing position and against his chest. He wound his arms around her waist and stroked the back of her head. "Ain't got no reason to be mad at you, sweetheart. Maybe mad at myself for opening my big damn mouth when I was drunk and making you feel bad. But I ain't mad at you."

She pulled back from his comforting embrace and searched his eyes. "Why wouldn't you be mad at me for letting myself think that. It's a horrible thing to think. I'm mad at me for letting myself think it."

"Carol...I get why what I said would bother you or make you feel bad. Kinda like Merle opening his big mouth and making me worried about you using me as some kinda rebound. It ain't like we can help what goes on in our mind, especially not when something or someone plants it there. The rational part of me knew you loved me, knew you meant what you said, but it don't mean that I still didn't have this war going on inside my head saying what if he's right. You weren't mad at me for that, were you?"

"No. I was pissed at Merle and I just wanted you to know how much you meant to me."

"Exactly. So, see, don't even think for a second I'd be pissed at you for that. What I said, I was drunk, and yeah, maybe I meant it. Maybe I do think you'd look hot with a tattoo or a piercing. I mean, I kinda like stuff like that, but it don't mean I don't think you're the most beautiful girl in the world without it neither. My tattoos, if I didn't have them, would you be any less attracted to me?"

"No."

"And my nipple ring.." He paused. "I still don't know how you feel about it, but regardless of whether or not I have it, does it change how much you want me? How you feel about me?" His voice dropped to barely above a whisper. "Those scars on my back, do you think they make me ugly?"

For the record, take the damn thing out. ASAP." She let out a small laugh. "If that's what you want, I mean. If you like it you can keep it, but to be honest, I'm not a fan of it. But you're right, it doesn't change how I feel about you. It doesn't change how sexy I think you are. And you're scars, they remind me of how strong you are. How much you've been through to get where you are. They're a part of you and I love every part of you."

"That's how I feel about you. You're gorgeous just like you are. I love everything about you. I'm glad you aren't like the other girls I've been with. None of them made me wanna stay." He pressed his forehead against hers. "Don't ever be scared to talk to me about something. We're probably gonna fight at some point. It's gonna suck. And I might say something mean or stupid someday that makes you cry or hurts your feelings, but we'll make it right. We'll cool down and do what we're doing right now, we'll talk about it and fix it. Lying to Rick taught me something, it made me realize even if you think you're doing yourself and someone else a favor by not bringing something up, everyone gets hurt worse in the long run."

She nuzzled her head against his and wrapped her arms around his waist. "How are you so good at this relationship stuff?"

"I don't know. Didn't really think I was. I just...you're easy for me to talk to. Can say what I'm thinking and feeling around you."

"I'm sorry I'm still a little fucked up."

"Hey, I'm a lot fucked up. Guess we can be fucked up together?"

She hummed and leaned up and placed a soft kiss to his lips. "I love you, Daryl. Thank you for this...for everything you've done since yesterday."

"Ain't nothing. You're my girl. It's what I'm here for. When you're a little unsteady, I'll hold onto you. I know you'll do the same for me, just like you did the other night."

"Always."

"Listen, uh, do you want me to stay here with you? Would you worry less and feel better if I didn't go home? Because I know shit might get tough for you here anyway. Might be easier if I stayed put."

She grabbed his hand and led him to the chair she'd been sitting in. She pushed against his chest until he took a seat and then she curled up in his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her head on his clavicle. "I would like you to stay. Not for the same reason I would wanted you to stay for ten minutes ago." She clarified. "But because I love you and you being here makes it easier for me to be here. But you don't have to. I know my parents aren't your favorite people and I know that you don't have clothes or a toothbrush here or anything like that. So it's okay if you go home. You don't have to worry about me thinking that way again right now. Not after the talk we just had."

"I can buy a toothbrush. I'm sure there's a Walmart around here somewhere. Ain't no problem to go buy a change of clothes."

"Yeah...but I know you probably don't actually want to be here."

"And I know you probably didn't wanna clean up my puke and listen to me whine like a little bitch on my birthday, but you did. You want me to stay here with you, I'm here. Ain't going nowhere. Besides, I'd feel better being here with you. Just didn't think about suggesting it and didn't know if it'd be alright. I know you wanna try with them, I know you wanna fix stuff, but that lame ass excuse your daddy threw out, it don't sit well with me. I gotta let you do what you feel is right concerning all this, and for your sake, I hope things are different. I really do, but I can't lie to you and pretend it's all gonna be different just because he said it was gonna be. I won't do that."

"I know...I'm not sure I believe it either. But like I said, that's why I wanna stay here this weekend. I wanna see for myself while what he said is fresh in his mind."

"Well, then I'm gonna be here with you while you do. And if he don't stick by what he said, I'll be here to take you back home with me. Right where you belong."


	76. Chapter 76

Carol's step-mom had stayed gone almost the entire day Friday. Not that Carol had particularly cared that the woman wasn't around, but she was left wondering if her being gone was related to the events that transpired the night before and how her dad had promised her Friday morning that things would be different from here on out.

In actuality, Carol couldn't fathom the woman admitting she was wrong, or agreeing to try hard to work at and fix their family unit. So she couldn't help thinking that the reason her step-mom's presence had been scarce that day was because she was avoiding her husband and any interaction with her family since said interaction would mean that everyone involved would need to play nice, despite everything that had gone on.

She also had a strong suspicion that the woman was going to blow a gasket when she found out Daryl would be staying with them the rest of the weekend. Based on how she reacted the previous day, it didn't seem like she thought much of him.

Carol's dad, who had been much nicer concerning his presence, still wasn't exactly thrilled when she told him that Daryl would be staying with her at their house the rest of the weekend. He told his daughter that it wasn't anything personal

against Daryl, but that he just wasn't keen on the idea of a boy staying in her room with her the next few days. She figured it also had to do with the fact that Daryl called them both out on their treatment of her, but she chose not to point that out in her effort to get along.

In the end, her dad hadn't fought the idea too hard and he'd agreed that Daryl could remain in their house for the remainder of the weekend. He even went as far as to point out a positive of Daryl being there, which was that at least he was willing to come around and stay here with Carol. Something Ed hadn't bothered to do while they were dating. Carol's trips home once a year had always been solo. Ed had always refused to come with her and never put any effort into getting to know her family or offering to try and help the situation more bearable for her by tagging along.

Patricia eventually returned home late Friday night. Carol found out from Rick that she'd gone to some Pampered Chef party and then spent the rest of the day shopping and had dinner with some women from her weekly book club meeting. The two Grimes women didn't really have any interactions that day since Patricia returned so late.

Carol had cooked dinner for her dad, Rick and Daryl that evening and the four of them sat down and had a much more amicable meal than the one night before. No yelling occurred and no tears were shed at the table. Her dad was even quick to toss out compliments on the dish she'd prepared for them all, which had been chipotle chicken fajitas.

Tensions were still high, the air was still immensely thick all around them, so thick someone could have cut it with a knife. Carol could tell that Daryl wasn't fond of her father, despite his promise to change. He simply didn't seem to trust the man's promise. And she didn't blame him for that, because she didn't fully trust her dad either.

But Daryl did his best to remain respectable to the man and he didn't get snarky with him or show his apprehension in an outright manner. And Carol really appreciated the effort he was making to go along with her wishes in regards to her family. If it was possible, everything that happened over the last two days only made her love and appreciate him even more than she already did.

Her dad talked to Daryl like he was a human being, unlike her step-mom had done the night before. Inquiring about the bike he drove and his hobbies outside of school. If she didn't know better, if circumstances were different, she could even see Daryl getting along with her dad. Her dad liked to hunt and fish, and he even had a Harley. Those three things were Daryl's biggest passion. Aside from helping animals, of course.

Then there was the fact that her dad had even taken the time to talk with her about how she was adjusting to life back in Georgia and to ask her about her responsibilities at her job. He even barraged them with questions about how they met and ended up dating, which they condensed into a much shorter, more parent appropriate version.

She could swear she noticed a hint of jealousy in her younger brother's eyes as the conversation seemed to revolved around the two of them at dinner and he was largely left out. But that's because he'd been home a few days before she got there and his visits were far more frequent than hers had been the last few years.

Her dad simply knew Rick and his life better than he did Carol's.

The simplicity of the night, the ease of how things seemed to go, it had Carol pondering how life might have been for her if her dad and Patricia hadn't ever reconnected. Would she and her dad have the father/daughter relationship she always craved? But then, she wouldn't have her brother, and no matter what happened with them recently, their close relationship meant the world to her and she couldn't imagine not having her little brother in her life.

She briefly wondered what her life would be like if her dad and Patricia had divorced at some point, but it occurred to her that he could have met someone just as bad, or worse. Then she and Rick could have both been subjected to the woes of a resentful step-mother.

She calmly reminded herself that wondering "what if" didn't do a damn bit of good. Things were the way they were.

No matter what happened in the past, it was a breath of fresh air for her to be able to pretend to be a semi-normal family for the night.

()()()

When she awoke the following morning her head was resting on Daryl's chest up near his collar bone. She had an arm draped around his waist and she could feel the warmth radiating off of his body. Normally, this was one of her favorite ways to wake up, but this morning she could immediately tell something was off with him. His body was tense, extremely stiff and rigid compared to the normally relaxed state he was in when they woke up curled up with one another. It was obvious he was already awake and something was eating at him.

She popped her eyes open, peeking up at him. He had his phone in his left hand, holding it above his head as he tapped away at a text message. An irritated look in his eyes that were narrowed on the screen.

She pushed herself up off of him, letting out an exhausted grunt as she righted herself in bed.

He glanced away from his screen and let his phone drop on the bed when he noticed she was awake. "Didn't mean to wake you up." He muttered, annoyance clear in his tone of voice.

"You didn't." She mumbled out with a yawn. "What's wrong?"

"Merle." He grumbled, letting his eyes land on the ceiling.

"You finally heard from him?" She asked, quirking a brow as she propped herself up on her elbow and leaned in next to him. Merle never called Daryl like he promised to Thursday evening to let him know how things went meeting his daughter. Daryl tried to call him several times yesterday, but each time the phone went straight to voicemail.

"No." He muttered with an edge in his voice, though it wasn't directed at her. "Won't answer my fucking texts either."

"Is the phone still going to voicemail when you try to call?"

Daryl nodded, drumming his fingers lightly on the bed spread that rested over his abdomen.

"I'm sorry." She told him sincerely, reaching out to run a calming hand through his hair.

"I just thought." He sighed heavily and shook his head. "I mean, I know he ain't always done the right things in his life. I know he's fucked up a lot, but I thought he'd do right by her now that he new she existed. You know?"

"I know." She agreed softly. She didn't know Merle well, but as much as he seemed to love his little brother, she had hope that he'd step up to the plate now that he knew he had a child.

"I mean...fuck." He groaned. "He knows what it feels like to have a parent dip out on you. To fucking choose not to be there. I don't get how he could do that. How he just couldn't go. It was different before when he didn't know. That wasn't his fault...But this...This is fucked up. It ain't right."

"Maybe he did go." She offered, trying to shine a beacon of hope.

"Nah." He dismissed her efforts immediately. "He's avoiding my calls. Got his phone shut off because he knows I'm gonna call him and ask about it. He knows I'll bust his ass for not doing the right thing. He's fucking running. It's what he does best when shit gets too real."

She was silent a moment, still soothingly running her fingers through his hair. Finally, she said. "Even if he didn't do the right thing, if he didn't meet her like he said he would...maybe...well...maybe you could?"

"Huh?"

"Since Merle wouldn't go visit her, maybe you could. I'd even go with you if you wanted."

"I ain't her daddy."

"No. You're not." She agreed. "But you're her uncle."

Daryl raised up on his elbows and eyed Carol strangely. "You telling me to step in and raise Merle's kid or something?"

"No. Not at all." She clarified. "I'm just saying that she's your niece. She's a part of you too. If her father isn't willing to step into the picture and show her where she came from, that maybe you could."

He was quiet for a moment, as if he was contemplating what she was proposing. "Just...go see this kid once and never look back?"

"Well...no. I don't know." She admitted. "I suppose whether or not you saw her and how often would be between you and her mother. I was just suggesting it because I think that the little girl has a right to know about her father's side of the family. That she probably wants to know things about Merle that her mother might not be able to offer her. I would have liked that." She admitted, a hint of sadness in her tone. "I would have liked to have known someone that was related to my mother. That could give me a perspective my father couldn't fairly give based on their history. And you're her uncle, Daryl. It's not unheard of for an uncle to establish a relationship with his niece. To occasionally spend time with her."

"Don't know...don't exactly know nothing about kids." He mumbled, but he grew quiet again, taking in everything Carol said and replaying it in his head. Eventually, he seemed to warm to her suggestion a bit. "If I did, if I wanted that, ain't like I know where Andrea lives now. Merle just said she lived about 45 minutes away from us. But that don't tell me shit. And I ain't got her phone number."

Carol reached across him to the other side of the bed and picked up his phone he'd dropped when he noticed she was awake. She jiggled it in her hand above his head. "That's the beauty of social media. It can be the devil, but it can help you find people from your past. All you need is a first and last name."

His brows crinkled. "Ain't that kinda like stalking?"

Carol chuckled at that. "A little, yes. But for the purpose we need it to serve, I think it'd be okay this time. Besides," She pointed out. "Didn't you and my brother actually stalk me for real when I went on that date with Shawn? I wouldn't think you had a problem with it." She teased him.

He offered her a sheepish look, then brought his thumb up to the side of his mouth and started worrying it.

Carol frowned at the troubled look that seemed to have washed over him. "I'm not trying to push Merle's responsibility off on you. I'm not saying this is something you have to do. I was merely suggesting it."

He dropped his thumb and met her eyes, letting his left hand come to rest on top of her hip. "Nah. It's alright. I get where you're coming from. I do. Think...think you might be right."

"Well...it's something to think about then. I'm not saying we have to reach out to her just yet. But, maybe after you finally talk to Merle again and find out why he backed out, maybe we can then."

He nodded and leaned forward to place a kiss on her forehead. When he pulled away he asked her, "You'd really go with me? To meet my niece I ain't never met before? That'd probably be pretty fucking awkward."

She laughed to herself and let her hand come to a rest on his cheek. "And being here isn't awkward for you?"

"God, yes!" He groaned. "And it ain't just your parents." He nodded to the shelf on the wall directly to their left. "I feel like your creepy ass dolls are fucking watching me all the time."

She glanced over to wide variety of porcelain dolls lining her shelf. "They're not creepy! My grandmother who died when I was seventeen left them to me."

"They're fucking creepy, Carol." He insisted. "And the fact your dead grandma gave them to you kinda freaks me out even more."

"I was actually thinking about taking them all home with me." She teased. "We could put them right over your bed."

"Hell no! Not if you ever wanna get laid again. I'd feel like they were watching me or some shit."

"There's a stuffed duck on your wall." She pointed out. "A dead duck that was literally once living and had it's insides plucked out to be replaced with stuffing so it could be mounted on your wall as a prize. And you put turtle carcasses on our porch as decorations. TURTLE CARCASSES ON OUR PORCH!"

"It's different." He muttered. "I killed that duck last year, it's a red-breasted mersanger and I know it ain't gonna come back to life and kill me or nothing. Those are just shells on the porch. Ain't really much left of the turtle. But those." He pointed at all of them. "Something ain't right with them. I swear, the one on the end, it moved. Ain't you ever seen Annabelle?"

She shook her head."No."

"Yeah? Well, we're gonna find it and watch it tonight." He replied matter of factly. "See how good you sleep afterwards."

Her lips twitched into a smile. She found it hilarious he was seriously freaked out by those dolls. "I think I'll sleep just fine. You on the other hand...I'm not so sure about."

"You think this is funny?" He pouted. "I'm gonna go find an _IT_ costume and jump out of nowhere when you're least expecting it. See how funny you think that is."

He went to pull the covers over his head and roll away from her, but she snatched them back down and wrapped her arms around him, spooning him from behind. She kissed his stubbly cheek and nuzzled her head into his back. "Don't you dare, Daryl Dixon." She warned.

()()()

The two of them eventually came downstairs for morning showers. Carol went to the kitchen to fix something to eat while Daryl was taking his. She heated up a few microwavable biscuits for both of them and set a plate with a glass of orange juice out for him at the breakfast nook in the kitchen. He thanked her and took a seat next to her a few moments later when he walked into the kitchen sporting a wet head and a clean pair of clothes. Late last night they'd gone to the local Walmart and bought him two changes of clothes and a toothbrush.

Daryl was grateful Carol had taken the time to heat up food for him, but these two tiny as biscuits weren't gonna cut it. He was gonna scarf them down in two bites. He'd have to ask her if her parents had in more in the freezer. If not, he'd go out and grab breakfast from some fast food joint. He used to live on cereal in the mornings before she moved in, but he'd grown accustomed to eating lavish breakfast and he was a bit spoiled now.

"Good morning, Carol." Patricia announced, more than a tab bit curtly as she entered the kitchen.

Daryl watched the woman carefully as she strolled to the stainless steel refrigerator and began to rummage through it.

"Morning, Patricia." Carol replied, equally brusque.

Neither woman bothered to meet each other's eyes and so far, she hadn't acknowledged Daryl's presence, not that he really gave a damn if she did or didn't.

"Oh, good. You two are up." Richard said as he joined the three in the kitchen. "How'd you sleep?"

"Fine." Daryl and Carol uttered in unision.

"Good. Good." He rubbed his hands together and took a seat at the other side of the breakfast nook. "I was thinking we could go to the shooting range today?" He suggested. "I mentioned it to Rick and he said he was up for it. What do you say?"

Carol noticed Patricia out of the corner of her eye, who was now fiddling with the coffee maker. The woman seemed to be ignorning everyone's presence. "Are all of us going?"

"No." Patricia responded immediately. "I won't be joining you. I'm making my coffee and then going to brunch with sister and my mother. I'm not sure when I'll be back." She narrowed her eyes on her husband, but refrained from making any snide or snippy comments.

Richard sighed and hung his head, but quickly looked back up at his daughter. "Would you and Daryl like to join us?"

Carol looked to Daryl who just shrugged and sipped his orange juice. "Yeah. We'll come." She said.

()()()

They went to the shooting range that all of the officers at the sheriff's station used. It was indoor and you had to wear all of the proper safety equipment, which was something Daryl wasn't used to and didn't care for, but he sucked it up and put the shit on anyway. On the plus side, the building was climate controlled and there was a wide variety of firearms to choose from.

"You're a damn fine shot." Richard complimented Daryl after he hit every target.

"It's not exactly his first time handling a gun." Carol chuckled and she could hear Rick letting out a small laugh too.

"Well yeah, I knew you said hunted, but not all people who hunt can handle a gun like that. Who taught you how to shoot?"

"My brother." Daryl replied, reloading his gun.

"Really? How'd he learn? Was he involved in law enforcement or something."

Daryl snorted at that. "I guess you could say that he was involved with them."

"Yeah? What'd he do?"

"Went to juvie a lot when we were kids." Daryl mumbled.

"Oh.." The older man quickly looked away. "Were you ever.."

"Daddy!" Carol snapped.

"It's alright." Daryl told her and looked back at her dad. "Nah, I wasn't. And my brother ain't no hardened criminal now either. He went to the army and straightened up, for the most part anyway."

()()()

Rick and Carol ended up in the range alone, their widely competitive side coming out and both of them feeling the need to outdo one another. Daryl ended up on the outside of the box with Carol's dad, waiting for the two of them to get done.

"She's still a hell of a shot." Richard added as he watched his daughter from outside of the plexi-glass room.

"Yeah. She gave me a run for my money when we went shooting in my bosses field Easter weekend." Daryl fumbled his hand around in his pocket. Messing with his cigarette pack. He wished he could pull one out and light it.

"She's a tough girl. Always has been. Even when she was little. She used to throw Rick around like a rag doll, but as soon as she made him cry she'd pick him up and hug him and give him a kiss on the cheek. It was a sight to see."

Daryl hummed. "She's an amazing chick. Ain't never met nobody like her before" He looked up at her dad, who was a good four inches tall then him. "I love the hell out of your daughter. And she's trying really hard to work this shit out so the four of you can be a family. And I'll stand by on her that because that's what she wants to do. If she's happy, I'm happy. But let's get one thing straight, you don't get infinite chances here. Your wife damn sure don't. She's your daughter and she loves you, but that don't mean she owes you nothing. The way that woman talked to her the other night, she ain't no better than my own damn abusive asshole of a daddy. And you sitting there letting it happen ain't saying much for yourself there either. Now, I get your trying, I get you've been making an effort and I thank you for that. I really do, because it means something to her. I ain't trying to disrespect you here or stick my nose where it don't belong, but that girl right there, that's my world. And one day, if I'm lucky and don't do something to royally fuck this up and lose her, she's probably gonna be the mama to my kids. Guess that means you and your wife would be their grandparents. But don't for one second think I'd ever stand by and let them be talked to the way she was or sit and ever listen to her be talked to that way in front of me again. Let alone in front of my kids one day. You love your wife, I get that. Ain't nothing in this world I care about more than your daughter, so as much as I don't like how she acts, I get you loving her. But your wife needs to get on board with all this trying shit too. Avoiding the situation ain't doing a bit of good of fixing anything. To me, it just says she don't care enough to try."


	77. Chapter 77

**AI really hate I've gone two weeks without updating this, especially being so close to completing it. I just got stuck with how I wanted things to go with Carol's family. It's such a tricky situation.**

 **If you're reading my other story, "The Girls Next Door" my apologies for being a bit blocked on it as well. The imagination fairy has really been holding out. Damn that bitch. I plan to have an update on it by tomorrow night.**

 **She did, however, grant me with an idea that wouldn't leave my mind and a short story was born. It's posted and only a chapter or two away from being complete if anyone hasn't seen it and wants to check it out. It's called, "You Gotta Have Hope." It's a bit more angtsy than anything I've done before.**

 **Okay. I'm shutting up. Here's my overdue update. Thanks for reading this story!**

Carol had enjoyed the time she spent with her dad, her brother and Daryl out at the shooting range. Though she and Rick had gotten way too competitive and spent the entire ride home arguing over who's shot was most accurate and who's shot was more precise and who took out the most targets. She wasn't sure who was worse at the whole sibling rivalry thing, her and Rick or Merle and Daryl.

When they'd returned back to her parents house her step-mom had already come home and had dinner waiting for them. She was keeping up her curt attitude towards Carol, though she seemed to have forgiven Rick for his outburst at her. Carol noticed the woman was a bit short with her dad as well. Of course, she didn't even glance twice at Daryl.

She'd more or less resigned herself to the fact that she and Patricia weren't likely to part on good terms before she went home tomorrow, but that was okay with Carol. She'd take silence and a cold shoulder over hurtful words and blatant berating.

That's why she'd been a bit surprised at her father's announcement over at the end of dinner.

Richard wiped his mouth with a napkin, set his fork on the table, then eyed his family from his spot at the end of the table. He let his glance land on every single person at that table, including Daryl. Then the man stood to speak. "Patricia, I think you and Carol should talk. We can't do this. Skirting around one another and pretending members of this family don't exist. What we've been doing, how things have been, it's become quite clear it's not working. And I've come to the realization that if I want a relationship with my daughter," his eyes locked on Daryl's, "with my future grandchildren. Well, then we're all gonna have to make amends and reach some common ground here."

Carol arched a brow at her father. "Grandchildren?" She mumbled under her breath, not sure where her father's statement had come from.

Daryl tensed, scratched at the side of his face, then flicked his eyes to the floor.

Patricia stared ahead at her husband, dumbfounded. "She hasn't been talking to me either. And I spoke to her at breakfast. In fact, I spoke first." She folded her arms over her chest petulantly.

Carol grunted and rolled her eyes, remembering the cold tone the woman had when she spoke to her that morning.. "If she doesn't wanna talk to me, she doesn't have to. It's fine."

"No. Not it's not. None of this fine," Rick butted in. "Mom, Carol, Please? Just, sit down, say what you need to say to each other." He looked to his mother, giving her a hard look, but not raising his voice. _"Apologize."_

Carol nodded, her jaw set tightly. "I'm willing to if she's willing to."

"Well, I'm certainly not unreasonable. You all don't have to make it out like I am," Patricia huffed. "Fine, we'll talk. Happy now?"

Daryl looked to Carol, his eyes meeting hers, full of worry and concern.

She grabbed his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I'll be fine. Go wait with my dad and Rick."

Reluctantly, he nodded. Obliging to her request to do this alone, but not before shooting Patricia a disgusted look before standing and sliding his chair under the table. Richard and Rick did the same and he followed the other two men out of the dining room. Casting one last concerned glance in his girlfriend's direction.

()()()

Silence settled into the air as Carol and her step-mom were left alone in the dining room. Thick tension from years of words unspoken lingered in it's presence. Neither would meet the other's eyes, instead focusing on the china cabinet, or the chandelier hanging above them, or the cutesy knink knacks lining the walls.

Finally, Carol realized Patricia wasn't going to start, so she did. "Why do you hate me?" She asked, not fully letting her brain process the words before they left her mouth.

"That's absurd," Patricia scoffed. "I don't hate you. My God, that's one of the most ridiculous things you've ever said, Carol Lynn."

Carol shook her head, unwilling to back down from admitting how this woman had made her feel over the years, but resigned not to break out into a fit of anger like she'd done the night before. "It's not. It's not absurd, Patricia. What am I supposed to think? You praised Rick his whole life, everything he did, every little thing. It was perfect to you. I couldn't please you for anything. Nothing I've ever done has been right or good enough and you've jumped at every chance you had to throw my mistakes in my face. Every chance you had to remind me that I couldn't end up like my mother, that she was such a horrible person."

"She was no saint, Carol. The woman who gave birth to you or not, she wasn't and I won't ever pretend she was."

"No, she wasn't," Carol admitted. "She made mistakes, she had problems. But she was dead, she died, and she wasn't around to parade those problems in front of me. You didn't have to completely demonize her, you didn't have to keep me from knowing anything real about her. And you just completely ignored the part about how different you've treated me my whole life."

"What do you want me to say?" She spat. "That I'm sorry? That I was wrong? Maybe I was. Maybe I should have done things differently. But I did what I thought was right. I had to be harder on you. I had to. I didn't want you ending up like her. I didn't want you to be a pregnant high school drop out who turned into an alcoholic."

Carol scowled at her. "Coming from a pregnant Sophomore?"

Patricia surprised Carol when she didn't retort immediately, instead she produced a choking noise in the back of her throat, but quickly composed herself. "Your father told you...About that?..About our history? Before you?"

"Yeah...He did."

The older woman pressed her lips into a thin line and grew stone-faced.

"Is that it? That why you resented me so much? Why you hated my mother?" Carol prodded, wanting an answer.

"You don't know what it's like...What it's like to see a man you love have a child with someone else. To know another woman took the life you were supposed to have."

"Umm? Are you forgetting why I moved back to Georgia? My boyfriend cheated on me with his secretary and knocked her up."

"And here you are with your hoodlum boy toy! Clearly, you're not that broken up about it."

"You don't know a damn thing about how I felt when I found out I was cheated on. When I found out another woman was carrying a child with the man I thought I knew," Carol growled. "Not the first damn thing. But you're right, I'm not broken up about it. I moved on to bigger and better things. And Daryl isn't a boy toy or a hoodlum. He's my boyfriend, I love him."

"Guess you get the gift of moving on so quickly from your father," Patrica remarked bitterly.

"You weren't together! Your parents made you break up. He didn't cheat on you. He didn't leave you for someone else. Now, I really am sorry you lost your child. I can't imagine how awful that would be. I wouldn't have even wished that on Ed as angry as I was with him. But it happened, and that wasn't my fault. The fact that my father met someone else and chose to move on wasn't my fault. I didn't ask to be here. I didn't ask for my mother to be an alcoholic. But you, you walked into a relationship with him knowing I existed. Knowing I was a part of it. If you couldn't handle that, you shouldn't have stuck around."

"We promised each other we'd wait! That we'd be together when I was 18! He didn't keep that promise! I thought I lost him forever. I got a second chance and I wasn't giving him up again. I love your father. And despite how horrible you think I am, you had it made. I never raised a hand to you. I made sure you had opportunities other kids would kill for. I was at your track meets, your piano recitals, you award banquets."

"Yeah. You were," Carol admitted. "And I'm grateful for that. I really am. I'll never discredit you for that. Financially, you were there. Physically, your presence was there. I'm _well_ aware I could have had it a lot worse. But emotionally, you tear me down every chance you get. And the older I get, the more it bothers me. The more I realize I don't have to listen to it. I've made mistakes. I'll admit them readily. And, you know, I'm sure when I was a resentful teenager I wasn't always easy to deal with. I'm sure you and my dad watching me piss my future away for Ed was infuriating and heartbreaking. That doesn't mean you have the right to throw those mistakes in my face and make me feel guilty about it the rest of my life. It doesn't mean I'm gonna sit here and listen to you disrespect my mother's name anymore. She made mistakes. We _all_ do. You're delusional if you look in the mirror everyday and can't see the one's you've made. She's gone Patricia. You don't have anything to be jealous about anymore. He can't leave you for someone who isn't here if that's what you were worried about."

Patricia was floored, stammering she said, "I don't...I don't throw them in your face. I just try to make sure you're aware of them. That you realize you what you did and don't spiral out of control. Everything I did or said...It was out love...Not all this hate you think I have for you."

"Really? Love? Where was all that "love" at with Rick?"

"Well...Children are different...He doesn't need the same reinforcement you do."

"Keep telling yourself that," Carol growled.

"I do love you...I do...Maybe...Maybe you're right...Maybe a part of me was jealous...Maybe I do resent that you belonged to another woman...But I do love you."

Carol clenched her fists and swallowed. The words on the edge of her tongue were bitter and she didn't even want to say them. She wanted to scoff at her, to tell her to cut the bullshit, but in a way, she knew in Patricia's own fucked up way, she meant it. "As much as I don't even wanna admit it...I do have love for you, too. For playing a part in raising, for being my brother's mother and loving him the way you do, for the fact that you love and care for my dad. But I'll be honest, I don't like you, and I know you don't like me. And that probably won't ever change. But this," Carol motioned between herself and Patricia, "how things were, it will. Or I won't be back. Not to this house, not to see you. Not ever. Because one day, I'm gonna have a child of my own. And I'll be damned if you ever talk to him or her the way you did me. I'll be damned if he or she ever hears you talk about me like you did Friday night. "

"You'd _really_ cut your father out of your life?" Patricia challenged.

"Whether or not he chose to see me would be on him, but it wouldn't be in this house and it wouldn't be near you," Carol promised.

Patricia snorted and glared at Carol. "What do you want from me, Carol? An apology?"

"No." She shook her head. "I don't need one. Not one that isn't sincere. I know you and I won't ever agree on the matter. You justify your reasons for how you acted, and whatever helps you sleep at night is what you have to tell yourself. I see things from my perspective and we could argue about it until the sun comes up, but I won't ever see things your way. So let's agree to disagree. What happened, happened. Neither of us can change it now."

"So what is that you want?"

"I just want you to keep your snide comments to yourself while I'm here. Bite your tongue, whatever you have to do. Treat me with the same respect you do Rick and my dad. Treat my boyfriend like a human-being while he's here with me. Keep your mouth shut about my mother. I don't think that's unreasonable. I can be nice to you, _if_ you can be nice to be. I think we can manage that a few times a year. But like I said, that's up to you. That's up to my dad, because believe it or not, I place a lot of blame on him for all of this, too." Carol sighed heavily and shook her head. "Ball's in your court, Patricia. Good talk." And with that she stood up, slid her chair under the table, and walked away.

()()()

Carol made her way out of the dining room, through the kitchen, and onto the screened in back porch. Setting on the metal table was Daryl's pack of cigarette's and a lighter. She reached into the pack and pulled on one out, placing the butt on the edge of her lips as she used both hands to light it. One hand bracing the tip from the light breeze, the other flicking the lighter. She pulled in a long drag, looking out into the distance and noticing the light's in her dad's garage on. She wondered if her dad had dragged Daryl and Rick in there while she and Patricia were talking. He was probably showing Daryl his bike.

Carol stayed on the porch, deciding not to go join the men. She needed the fresh hair and a few minutes to herself. After some time passed sitting alone, she jumped slightly when the door to the back pork creaked open.

"Hey," Richard announced, closing the door and pulling up a seat beside Carol.

"Hey," she muttered, feeling the need to drop her cigarette to her side and conceal it from her father's gaze.

"You don't have to hide it," he chuckled. "I don't like it. But there's not much I can do. You're a grown woman."

Carol nodded, but didn't say anything, and didn't move to bring the cigarette in view just yet.

"How'd things with your...," he stopped and corrected himself. "With Patricia go?"

Carol shrugged, pressing her smoke to her lips. When she exhaled she blew out three out smoke rings. "I told her how I felt, she told me how she felt. Then I told her pretty much the same thing I told you. I guess only time will tell how that plays out."

Richard rested his elbows on his knees and clasped his hands together. Shaking a leg, he said, "She'll be better. I promise. I'll see to it."

"I hope so, dad. I really do," though her voice didn't contain much enthusiasm or hope. "And uh, I appreciate you trying here. It really means a lot. It doesn't change things, but it's a start and it means a lot."

"Yeah...Yeah I know it doesn't. But I'm glad that it's a step in the right direction for us." Richard cleared his throat and attempted to change the subject. You know? Your boyfriend's in the shop working on my bike right now. I told him it was sputtering. He said he think's it the carburetor."

Carol snorted and leaned forward to flick the cherry into the ashtray on the table. "I swear, under different circumstances, you two would love each other."

"I didn't say I didn't like him," Richard commented.

 _That doesn't mean he likes you_ , Carol thought. But decided to keep that comment to herself.

"You know?" Richard pondered. "After everything we heard about Daryl before you brought him here, I gotta say, I was a bit surprised that you showed up with him Thursday and said he was your boyfriend."

"What'd you hear?" Carol asked with a nervous laugh.

"That he was...let's just say...a _bit_ of a ladies man."

"He had quite the reputation before me," Carol admitted.

"Wasn't just a reputation, was it?"

"I guess not, dad," she sighed in frustration, feeling herself going into defense mode. "But that's not who he is now."

Richard threw his hands up and chuckled. "Yeah. I see that. I mean, at first I didn't think you two were serious. Showing up on the back of some motorcycle with him after just getting out of a relationship. I figured he was some kinda rebound. Someone to take your mind off of things. But he cares about you, I can tell that from the way he acts. I just had no idea that you two were so serious. I mean, don't get me wrong, it's great you've found someone you care for and that cares about you that way. It's just a little fast. That's all. I wasn't expecting you to be planning marriage and children this soon."

Carol's mouth gaped and the cigarette fell from her lips onto her knee. She yelped when it seared her skin through her jeans and she snatched it up in a haste, stubbing it out in the ashtray. "What! What are you talking about, dad?"

He arched his brows at his daughter, like it should be obvious what he was referring to. "That you and Daryl wanna get married and have kids. I just didn't expect that kinda talk so soon."

 **I feel like they'd been stuck at Carol and Rick's parents forever. They're going home next chapter. Finally. And there are only 3 or 4 chapters left.**


	78. Chapter 78

"You alright?" Daryl asked Carol as he stripped down to his boxers and prepared himself to climb in bed for the night. He'd not long gotten out of the shower and his hair was still a tad bit damp.

"I'm fine," she replied, slipping out into only a skin fitting tank top and a pair of underwear.

"You been kinda quiet," he pointed out.

"You were working on my dad's bike. I didn't wanna distract you." Carol had finished her conversation with her dad on the porch. Finding herself somewhat shocked at Daryl's admission to her own father that one day he intended to marry her and have children. It was something they hadn't yet discussed together, yet. Afterwards, she'd taken a shower to process that admission and then joined Daryl and Rick in her dad's shop.

"Yeah," he agreed, kicking his pants all the way off. "But you still aren't saying much. Just wanted to make sure you were alright after that talk with your step-mom."

She peeled the covers back and climbed in bed, she patted the other side, inviting him to climb in with her. "I told you, it went as good as could be expected. I don't know if it'll change things. But, I said things I needed to say. I know things now that I never would have known. Whatever happens, I'm glad I came home. And I'm glad you were here with me for all of it."

He slid in bed beside her, pulling the covers over both of them. He let one hand fall on her hip and the other fell on the side of her face. Leaning in, he kissed her, gently, then fiercely. "Wouldn't wanna be anywhere else," he muttered between kisses." Slowly, his hand started wandering it's way up, bunching underneath the thin material of the tank top she was wearing, ghosting over her rib cage, until he finally found his prize. He gave her breast a gentle squeeze and moaned against her lips as he pressed his hips into hers.

Carol broke the kiss and scooted back, forcing a bit of distance between them. "We can't do that here."

"Why not?" He whined.

She bounced her hips ever so slightly and the cast iron bed emitted a loud, screeching, grinding sound that echoed throughout the bedroom and caused the wood floor beneath it to creak. "Good enough reason for you?"

He ignored the noise, working his magic with his lips on the spot on her neck he knew drove her crazy. "It'll be fine," he muttered, suckling at her delicate skin.

She let out a moan of her own and reluctantly pushed him away again. "I thought you were scared of my porcelain dolls anyway? Do you really want them watching?"

"Changed my mind. They can watch. I'll give them a hell of a show." He dove in again and she dodged his advance, his head connected with her pillow instead. "Fuck!" He grumbled, gripping the sheets in a fit of sexual frustration. He pushed himself up off the bed and offered her his best puppy dog eyes. "Please, sweetheart? I think my virginity's growing back."

She snorted at that. "Your virginity is so far gone you don't ever have to worry about it coming back." Brushing his bangs out of his eyes, she kissed his forehead. "Poor baby. It's been, what? Since Wednesday morning? I think you'll live one more day."

"Might not. Could spontaneously combust. You know? You could be causing permanent damage here," he grinned devilishly.

"What did you ever do without me?" She teased. Knowing good and damn well even though he'd had sex with a lot of girls before her, the frequency of how often he actually got sex had drastically increased since they started fooling around.

The look in his eyes changed, the dark, hungry one he'd been wearing was replaced with something else entirely. He stared deep into her eyes and shook his head seriously. "I don't know."

Her fingertips brushed the side of his face and he kissed her hand. She pressed her forehead against his and scooted closer to him, her other hand landing on his side. "Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah. What is it?'

Her eyes met his and she said, "Were you gonna tell me we were getting married and having kids before or after I was pushing our first one out?"

All the color drained from his face, and despite the gleam in her eye, he found himself panicking. "Your dad told you what I said?"

"Yeah."

He buried his face in his pillow and muttered, "Fuck."

"Did...Did you not mean it?"

Slowly, he moved to face her again, a troubled look etching his features. "I don't know what the right answer is here."

"How about the honest one? It's worked pretty well for us so far."

Scraping his teeth over his bottom lip he nodded, hesitantly he confessed, "Look, it just, it kinda came out. You know? I was telling him how I felt about how they treat you, how they treated you, and I just, I started thinking about the future and it just kinda came out."

"So you've thought about that? Our future?"

He sighed. "Carol...I don't, I don't wanna freak you out here. I mean, I know this is still new in a lot of ways. And the whole idea of being in a relationship is still new as hell to me in general. And yeah I'm young and this is the first time I ever felt this way about anyone, but I'm not stupid. I know enough to know that I don't wanna be with anyone else. Not now, not six months from now, not ever. So, yeah. I mean, yeah. That means that I want a future with you. See, I used to have this image of what my life would be like in ten years. And I'd have this log cabin in the woods, a place of my own. It'd have a big bedroom, a bathroom, and this open floor plan with a kitchen and living room. But now? Now that image keeps changing. And whenever I think about it, it ends up being this place with three bedrooms and this perfect little kitchen for you with an island in the middle. Instead of just having game mounted on the wall, there's all these pictures there. Of us...," he trailed off, worrying his bottom lip. "I was gonna tell you I wanted all that. I was...When we'd been together a little longer. If you ain't there yet..It's okay. I mean you were with your ex four years and you didn't marry him or have kids or nothing, so it's okay. I mean, I don't want that right now no how...I jus thought one day.."

She cut him off, placing a soft kiss on his lips. When she pulled away she smiled. "I want a future with you, too and I love the fact that you stood up to my dad that way and so easily told him how you felt and where you see this going with us."

"Yeah?" He replied, grinning from ear to ear.

"Yeah. And uh, I kinda like that cabin in the woods idea."

He kissed her again, this time things grew so intense he wound up on top of her, grinding back and forth against her until the metal bed screeched and whined loudly and she pulled apart, placing her hands on his chest. "I want to," she whispered. But not right now. I'd die of embarrassment if someone in my family heard us. I promise, I'll make it up to you as soon as we get home tomorrow. I'll make it worth the wait. Whatever you want. You deserve it after how wonderful you've been this weekend."

He didn't protest, though he was insanely horny. Instead, he simply rolled off of her and resigned himself to the fact he was going to have to make it one more night. He rolled to his side and propped himself up with one hand. "Anything," he grinned wickedly.

"Anything _except_ that thing only Merle's done," she stipulated.

()()()

Early the next morning, not long after the sun started peeking it's way through the windows, Carol woke up with the sudden urge to pee. She quietly slipped out from underneath Daryl's arm, pulled on a pair of leggings, and made her way downstairs to the bathroom. When she was finished doing her business, she heard pots and pans clanking around in the kitchen and decided to inspect the source of the noise. What she found was a very confused looking Rick, raiding the cabinets and glancing between a skillet and a frying pan.

She made her way around the corner and into the kitchen. "What in the hell are you doing?" She asked her younger brother.

He jumped a bit, surprised by the sound of her voice, but slowly made his way to his feet. Still clutching the pans in hand. "I ah, I wanted to make breakfast. For Mother's Day and all."

Her brows raised. "What are you making?"

"I was gonna make bacon, eggs, toast, and pancakes," Rick shrugged, "but then I realized I didn't know what pan to use."

"You're cooking breakfast?" She couldn't help the sound of her surprise in her tone.

"Well...I was going to. I mean, she's still my mom. No matter what, she always will be. I wanted to do something nice for her."

Carol let out a sound somewhere between a sigh and a groan. "Give me the pan," she instructed her younger brother, holding her hand out.

"It's okay. I got it. I know how things are with you two. I'm not gonna sit here and make you cook breakfast for her."

"And I'm not gonna go back upstairs and go sleep and let you burn the house down while with me and my boyfriend are in it. Besides, I'm not gonna cook, I'm just gonna show you what to do. I'm gonna be kinda hungry soon anyway, I may as well make sure that the food's edible." She pointed to the frying pan. "Give me this one. The other one, that's a skillet. And it's gonna drive me insane if you use it."

Rick chuckled and put the skillet up, then handed his sister the frying pan.

()()()

Carol, Rick, and Daryl sat with Carol and Rick's parents in the breakfast nook that morning. Shockingly enough, Patricia spoke to Carol first, without the cold tone she'd used before and she even acknowledged Daryl's presence, greeting him with a simple hello. It wasn't necessarily a jovial breakfast by any means, but it was the most civil meal they'd all had together the last four days, and it was the first time in a long time no arguing or bickering was done.

When the meal was over and everyone's plate was cleared, Patricia even looked to Carol after thanking Rick for the wonderful breakfast he'd made, and said, "Thank you for showing him how to cook all of this. You've always been skilled in the kitchen."

To which Carol was able to nicely reply, "Thank you."

After, they'd gone to church as a family. And Carol wasn't sure who was more uncomfortable. Daryl with all of these strange people coming up and shaking his hand and asking him who he was and how he'd met Carol. An eighty year old lady even called him a darling young man and kissed him on his cheek. Carol had snickered while he looked horrified and turned crimson all the way to the tips of his ears. Then there was poor Rick, who'd had to get an eye full of a happy Lori and Shane, holding hands and carrying on in front of everyone. Even if he was happy with Michonne, she still imagined it stung him a bit to see that rubbed in his face. Town folks shot him such pitiful looks throughout the service. Too bad Michonne was at her own mom's house and he didn't have her on his arm to parade around his upgrade.

After church, Carol and Daryl had gone upstairs and packed up. Her parents and Rick were going to go out for lunch, but the two of them were going to go ahead and head home. Daryl had been more than patient with her these last four days, but she knew he was itching to get back to their place. Back to their routine. Back the normalcy of the life they lived together. And she knew he really, _really_ wanted to get laid.

"Will you be back for Father's Day?" Carol's dad asked as she and Daryl were about to head out of the front door.

She stopped, look at Daryl, then shrugged at her dad. "I don't know. We'll see. I'm not sure what my work schedule is for that weekend yet, but we can probably at least come by for lunch and stay for a few hours."

"I'll take that," he replied, hugging his daughter. When he let go, he turned to Daryl and extended his hand. "It was good to meet you."

Daryl shook his hand and nodded in repsone, but didn't say anything. He still wasn't sure how he felt about the man.

"Thanks for fixing up my bike, by the way."

"No problem. I like stuff like that," he was able to respond with complete honesty.

"Drive safe," Patricia said, meeting Carol's eyes. "We hope you'll be able to join us next month. I know it'd mean a lot to your father to have you here."

Carol nodded to the woman. It was a step forward. A small one. But it was a step. "Enjoy the rest of Mother's Day." She grabbed Daryl's hand and nodded towards the door. "We better get going before traffic gets too bad." They said their final goodbyes and walked out the front door and Rick followed them outside

"Hey, uh, I think I'm gonna go to Michonne's tonight. I haven't seen her in days. You know?"

"Alright. See you tomorrow then?" Carol said.

"Yeah, sounds good. I might even see if she wants to stay at our place tomorrow night. Anyway, y'all call me when you get home. Let me know you made it safe."

"Yeah, man. For sure. You drive safe yourself."

"I will."

"Oh, and Rick?" Daryl called out.

"Yeah?"

"Don't just show back up without warning tonight. Call first if you change your mind. Don't want you seeing nothing you don't wanna see. Fair warning."

"Dude!" He groaned. Noticing the way Daryl was smirking, he shook his head at his friend. "You're really gonna enjoy this aren't you?"

"Little bit," he admitted. "But I'm being serious, call before if you come home early."

()()()

On the way home, Carol had gotten Daryl to make two more stops. One at the local Wal-Mart so she could pick up some artificial flowers, the second was at the cemetery her mother was buried in. She'd picked out violet, remembering her father said it was her mother's favorite color, and she'd placed them on her grave. Silently she stood in front of it for a few moments, then whispered, "Happy Mother's Day," while Daryl stood beside her with his hand resting on the small of her back.

Afterwards, they'd made the two hour drive home.

Daryl walked to the mailbox to collect days of ungathered mail, and was surprised to find an envelope addressed from Hershel. Curiously, he tore it open as he made his way inside. The envelope contained a single, typed document and a hand-written letter. Daryl read the letter first.

 _"I know you've said it a thousand times. That you don't want to go to vet school. You don't think you have the grades and you don't have the patience to do four more years of school. Well, son, I've had many people work under me throughout the years, I've written many letters of recommendation for very qualified people, but not a single one of them has the passion or drive you do. You put everything you have into this job and it'd be a damn shame for you to not to apply. If you don't get it the first time, apply again, and again, until you do. You wouldn't give up pulling blood if you didn't hit the vein the first time, would you?_

 _You're a fine young man and you know I think the world of you and you'd make a might fine veterinarian. There's a letter of recommendation inside this envelope for you, consider it your late birthday present. I'd have given it to in person but you'd be too hard headed and stubborn to take it. I'm hoping Carol finds this first and talks some sense into you. I'd really love for you to take over my practice one day. There's no one I'd rather leave it to._ _Think about it._

 _But whatever you decide, just know I'm proud of you either way, and I love you, son."_

"What's that?" Carol asked, walking up beside Daryl and noticing the letter in his hand.

"It's um," he held out the letter and envelope up, "it's a letter of recommendation for vet school. Hershel really thinks I should apply. He said he thinks you can be the one to talk me into," he laughed.

Carol smiled at him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Well personally, I think you should, too. They'd be idiots to not give you a chance, because they won't ever find anyone with half the dedication and drive you have. But if that's not where your passion is, if you wanna work with wild life, I support you in that. I just want you to do what makes you happy."

Daryl grinned at her, then tossed all of the mail onto the coffee table. "I'll think about. But right now," he scooped his hands under her thighs and picked her up in one swift motion, she responded and wound her legs around his waist, giggling as he leaned in to kiss her. "Right now, what would make me happy is to make up for lost time over the last four days. I remember you saying something about paying me back for being such a good boyfriend and all. And the words _anything_ I want come to mind." He captured her lips in his again and groaned with pleasure as she tangled her hands through his hair. She nipped his ear, then whispered seductively, "Tell me what you want, I'm all yours."

()()()

Hours later, Carol was in the kitchen heating up a few microwavable dinners, feeling hungry but too exhausted to cook after she and Daryl spent their afternoon "making up for lost time," as he put it. It was then when she heard a truck pull up in their driveway. It sounded an awful lot like the one Merle drove. She turned to look at Daryl, who was beside her, pulling silverware out of the drawer for them. "Is that your brother?"

"Sure as shit sounds like him," he replied, sounding rather annoyed.

Sure enough, the unmistakable banging on the door began moments later, confirming it must be Merle. Daryl stalked out of the kitchen and snatched the door open, not welcoming Merle with a kind greeting. "The hell are you doing here?" He barked, forgetting he hadn't bothered to put pants on at all on and that he was only clad in his boxers.

"Looks like I interrupted you getting a piece. My bad," he shrugged, welcoming himself inside.

Daryl glanced down and realized what he was wearing, or not wearing rather, but wasn't too bothered by it since it was only Merle. "Ain't what I meant," Daryl growled. You were supposed to be with your kid this weekend. Why the hell did you dip out on that?"

"I didn't!" Merle barked.

"Yeah? Then why the fuck wouldn't you answer my calls?"

"Because I left my fucking at your house, you stupid shit. That's why I'm here now. I need to get it before I go back home."

"Well, you could've texted me or called me from Andrea's phone and let me know that. I spent all weekend being pissed at you thinking you dipped out on the kid."

"Meh Meh Meh," Merle mocked. "The fuck you think you are, my mama? I don't know your number, it's in my damn phone."

Carol walked into the room, having taken a moment to run to their laundry room and toss a bra on underneath her tank top and some pajama's on over her boy shorts. "So you went?" She smiled at the elder Dixon. "How'd things go?"

Merle grinned, a proud, joyful grin Daryl hadn't seen him wear in a long time. "Kid's a fucking spit fire. Reminds me so much of her mama, it's crazy. Looked me square in the eyes, all unimpressed, bunched up her little blond eyebrows, and said, "You're my daddy? I don't look anything like you. But that might be a good thing."

Carol had to cover her mouth to stifle her laugh, but Daryl didn't bother trying to suppress his. "Sounds like she might've gotten that from you."

"Nah, man. Trust me, she's straight Andrea. But that kid's great. Shit, you gotta meet her. I told her I had a brother. So she knows she's got an uncle. Told her about you, too." He looked to Carol, winked, then grinned, "Let her know he's got a woman that makes him walk a chalk line. Andrea couldn't believe you have a girlfriend. Mostly because you were such a shy little shit back when she knew you and you wouldn't even look whenever I'd try to sneak you a flash of her titties. She really couldn't believe it when I told her for a while there you turned into a sort of mini me with the ladies, but still, she said to tell you congratulations and not to be a fuck up like I am. She said it nicer, though."

Carol laughed, mostly at the rapid pace of Merle's voice and the overjoyed look in his eyes as he spoke. "Sounds like you had a good weekend. I was just heating something up for me and Daryl. Do you have time to stay and eat with us? You could tell us more about your weekend with Audrey."

"Depends. You gonna make me heat up my own food again?" He smirked mischievously at her.

She pursed her lips and grinned back. "I think I can heat it up for you, just this once."

"Thank you, darling," Carol walked back towards the kitchen and Merle nodded to Daryl. "Let me go hook my phone up and charge it. I got some pictures I got Andrea to go ahead and send me. I went and bought Audrey a bb gun, took her out in the woods, showed her how to shoot. Hell, she did better than you did your first time, little brother. She's a natural."

()()()

Merle had to leave right after eating, he needed to get home in time to he could get some sleep and be on time for work the next day. Before leaving, he asked Daryl if it'd be okay if he stayed there some on the weekends, that way he'd be able to drive up and spend some time with his kid. He even mentioned possibly moving closer if he could find a decent job. Daryl was proud of the effort he seemed to be willing to make, so he readily agreed, telling him he could spend the night anytime.

The following morning he and Carol returned to work, and he'd been more than happy to get back into the swing of things after the unexpected vacation. Even though the clinic was packed and they were overloaded with cases, he found that he wasn't bothered much by the hectic, fast paced day.

At work, he told Hershel he'd gotten his letter and that he seriously would consider applying in the fall. It's something he hadn't known he wanted before, something he hadn't thought he was good enough for, or was even capable of achieving.

But Daryl was finding that during the last month and a half, going on two months now, his life had changed so drastically that he wasn't even the person he'd been only two short months ago. Not even close. His wants and needs, they were very vastly different now.

He'd never thought he was capable of falling in love, he'd never wanted to be. He always thought it would make him weak, it would hurt, that in the end he'd end up feeling nothing but pain and unhappiness.

But now, he couldn't imagine his life any other way. It was hard to picture who was before he met Carol. It was hard to think about anything being more important to him than she'd become. She'd opened up a part of him he hadn't known existed, she'd helped him transition from a selfish little boy into a man. A man who wasn't perfect, who still made mistakes, who was still learning how to be boyfriend, to be a better friend, how be the kinda guy she deserved. But a man, none the less.

And that night as he sat around the kitchen table in his house with Carol, Michonne, and Rick, passing around boxes of pizza and refilling plastic cups, he'd never been more thankful than he was then. He used to think he'd wanna punch Ed if he ever saw him. For the hurt her caused Carol. But truthfully, he'd probably shake the fucker's hand if he ever saw him. Because if Ed hadn't of hurt her, if he hadn't cheated on her and knocked that woman up, Daryl wouldn't have ever met Carol. She wouldn't be _his_ right now.

"Hey Rick," Daryl mumbled between bites. "I need to ask you something."

Rick looked up from his cup and met Daryl's gaze. "What's up?"

Daryl looked to Carol, the corner of his lip turning up slightly. "Ain't you allergic to cats? Because you seemed just fine being around that one at your parents while we were there. And from what I hear, they had that thing since you were a kid."

Rick almost choked on the slice of pizza he'd just bitten into. Michonne patted his back and made him hold up his hand. "Shit," he muttered when he finally regained his composure. "I didn't realize that one was gonna come back and bite me in the ass. Didn't count on my sister moving in with us someday, let alone you two dating and you ending up at my parent's house to see the damn thing." His face fell when he noticed Daryl and Carol staring at him, arms folded at their chests. We're getting a cat, aren't we?" He groaned.


	79. Chapter 79

****Easter weekend of the Following Year***

Already in a frenzy because they were running late, Carol walked in Daryl's bedroom, which was now actually their bedroom, and frantically asked him, "Where's Oz at? I can't find him anywhere." Oz was their cat. A large, gray, long-haired kitty with a massive head and large, alien-like, green eyes who they'd rescued not long after Rick was outed about not actually being allergic to cats.

Daryl was still riffling through their closet, trying to find his favorite navy blue button down shirt, which he'd been looking for since they got home from work. He turned to look at her. "Uhhh, I don't know. Did you ask Rick if he's seen him? Last time I saw him he was laying on the back of the couch. Maybe he let him outside."

Carol groaned in irritation. "He knows better than to let him out right now. We've gotta go, ASAP. I don't want him outside until we get back on Sunday."

It was Friday afternoon and they were supposed to be headed to Carol's parents. They'd gotten off work early, as usual, for Good Friday. The plan had been to come home and pack and then head up to her family's with Rick and Michonne to spend the weekend. They were gonna leave early Sunday morning and go and have Easter lunch with Hershel and his family.

Over the year, things with her parents had greatly improved compared to what they used to be. She and Patricia still weren't close, and probably never would be, but they'd both learned how to play nice and get along when they were around each other. Which probably worked because it still wasn't often that they did spend time together. They'd spent the day with her parents on Father's day, done Fourth of July with Hershel and his family, spent Thanksgiving with Hershel and his family, then Christmas with hers. She still didn't make trips home as often as Rick did, but she called more. There was more of an effort on both parts to try and repair all the damage that had been done over the years. That's why she and Daryl had both been okay with staying with them over Easter weekend.

Before making the stop at her parents, they were supposed to travel to Suatee, Georgia where Daryl was scheduled to have an interview with the Department of Natural Resources for a position as a Park Ranger. She didn't want him to be late for his interview, and if they didn't leave in about five minutes, that was gonna happen.

Daryl had relented and applied for vet school in the fall, unfortunately, he didn't get in. He hadn't been nearly as devastated as Carol thought he was gonna be. In fact, he'd taken it pretty well, as well as could be anyway. He even decided to apply again the following year, and keep applying until he either fell in love with the job he got in the meantime, or decided that becoming a vet wasn't what he wanted for his life anymore.

But the fact remained that he was graduating in May and he needed a job lined up in the meantime. Sure, he could stay with Hershel as long as he wanted at the clinic, but he wanted to use his degree. He hadn't worked hard and busted his ass for four years for nothing. So he'd been applying for different positons that would allow him to work with nature and/or wildlife. He'd recently been on two other interviews as well. One on Sapelo Island as a Naturalist and one on St. Catherine's Island as a Wildlife Technician.

As far as Carol knew, he was still waiting to hear back and see how that turned out.

Daryl grunted as he continued shuffling through the closet. "Hell, I don't either. Why don't you go check on the back porch and see if he's there?"

"Why don't you go check and let me find you a nice shirt for you to wear since you're obviously not having any luck?" She suggested.

"NO!" He shot out rather quickly, then cleared his throat, realizing he may have come off a bit snappy. "It's just uh, I mean, I can find it. Besides, Oz likes you better anyway. If he's out there and sees me his hard-headed ass is gonna meow like a smug son of a bitch and take off in the other direction. If he sees you, he'll start purring and run up to rub against your leg and you can snag him and put him back inside."

"Fine," she sighed, knowing he was probably right. That cat loved Daryl, it slept beside his head every night and she had to fight with it to get to cuddle with him, but he loved to give Daryl a hard time. "But if you haven't found that shirt by the time I get back inside with Oz, I'm picking one out for you to wear and that's it. We're going. I don't see why you didn't pack last night, and I don't get why you have to have this specific shirt anyway."

"You know I never do anything until the last minute, I work better under pressure," he grinned," and besides, it's my lucky shirt."

She arched a brow at him and shot him an amused look. "Your lucky shirt?"

"Mhm. Good things happen when I wear that shirt. I need it for my interview. It's the shirt I was wearing that first night we slept together."

Carol's heart melted at that comment and her stomach did a little flip flop, a reaction Daryl could still always seem to elicit from her even after almost a year of being together. The corners of her lips turned up and she smiled back brightly at him. "Aren't you sweet?"

"The sweetest," he replied, still grinning. "Now, go find that damn cat so we can go and I'll find my shirt."

()()()

Carol walked in the living room, calling their kitty's name on the off chance he was hiding somewhere inside. Instead of finding the cat, she found Rick walking out of his bedroom with his overnight bag on his shoulder. "You seen Oz," she stopped to ask him.

"Yeah. I let him outside like five minutes ago. He was pawing at the door and crying. I think he had to pee."

"Damn it, Rick!" She groaned. "You know Daryl and I have to be at his interview by 4. He's got a litter box inside,."

"Sorry," he muttered. "He wouldn't stop whining." His sister was giving him a peeved look, so he said, "Come on, I'll help you find him."

The siblings walked on the back deck and after a moment of calling him, Oz darted out from under the deck and up to the top of the steps. He stopped at Carol's feet and looked up at her, his already bright green eyes looked neon the way the sun was reflecting off of them. He let out a loud meow, stood on his back two feet, and tilted his chin in a plea for it to be scratched.

Carol bent down, scratched his chin, then scooped him up in her arms. "Did bad uncle Rick let you out before we were supposed to leave? He was probably trying to get rid of you, huh?"

()()()

With Oz in her arms and a relieved smile on her face, Carol walked to her and Daryl's bedroom to make sure he'd found his shirt. "I found him, Rick let him out..," she trailed off when she saw Daryl was no longer rifling through the closet, but standing by the bed, nervously chewing on the side of his thumb, dressed in the blue button down shirt he'd worn that first night they were together a year ago. But that wasn't what stood out as most odd to her, the most perplexing thing she found was an Easter basket sitting on their bed. "What...What is all this?"

He shrugged a shoulder, not dropping his thumb from the side of his mouth. "Got you a little something for Easter."

She stared at the basket, still strangely confused. She took a few steps towards the bed to inspect the basked. It contained a blue and punk stuffed bunny with a white polka dotted bow tie, some chocolate Easter bunny's, Reese's eggs, Peeps, and three plastic Easter eggs that were numbered one, two and three.

"I know Easter's one of your favorite holiday's," he continued as she stared down at the basket on the bed. "Put Oz down and open the eggs. Start with number one first."

Eyeing her boyfriend, she gently placed Oz on the floor and went to work reaching for the contents inside the pink, wooden Easter basket. "Daryl..."

"No questions," he shook his head. "You'll see. Just open it."

She squeezed the yellow plastic egg marked one until it popped open. Inside it, there was a folded piece of paper with scribbled writing that read, "Happy one year...Sexiversary? Shit, I don't know what to call it, really, seeing as how that ain't when we became official. Know Easter ain't even on the same day it was last year, but I ain't so good at remembering dates. Just know Easter weekend of last year changed my life forever and that this past year with you has been the best one of my life. I love you, Carol."

She clutched the piece of paper to her chest, "It's been the best year of my life, too. I love you, too, Daryl,."

The nervousness seemed to drain from him and he finally dropped his gnawed thumb. "Open the second one," he told her eagerly.

She placed the slip of paper in the basket and reached for the second egg, popping it open just as she'd done the first. There, inside the egg, was what appeared to be the strip from inside of a fortune cookie. It was old and wrinkled, and it read, "You will soon find something you didn't know you were looking for." Her jaw dropped, remembering the night they'd eaten fortune cookies in his bed shortly after she moved in before anything had ever even happened between them. She held the fortune up to him. "I thought you threw this away?"

"Thought I did, too. But I found it behind my trashcan later and," he blushed, "realized it was true. Couldn't bring myself to throw it away." He sucked in a deep breath. "You got one more to go."

With a shaky hand, she reached for the last egg. It was a baby blue in color and it was larger than the other two. Inside, she found a wad of tissue paper, which Daryl instructed her to unravel. Piece by piece she did so, her heart thundering beneath her chest as she let her imagination run wild. She gasped as the prize came into sight. A shiny, silver band with a small, princess cut diamond. She whipped around to face Daryl. "Is this? Are you?"

He stepped forward until he was directly in front of her, placing his hands on either side of her hip, he said, "Wanna spend the rest of my life with you. I've known that for a while. I know you know that. So, what do you say? Let's make it official. Will you marry me, Carol?"

She placed a hand on his cheek and captured his lips with hers.

When they pulled apart, he was grinning from ear to ear. "That's a yes, right?"

"Of course it's a yes!" She squealed as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him again. "I had no idea. How long have you been planning this?"

"Little while," he replied. "He grabbed the hand she was clutching the ring in and took it from her, sliding it smoothly on her finger.

Eyes beaming, she glanced down at it. "It fits perfectly."

Daryl hummed. "Borrowed your class ring so they could size the band."

"Congratulations, you two," Rick announced from the spot where he'd been leaning against the doorway in. A wide smile etched on his face.

Carol glanced between Daryl and Rick. "You knew? Did he know? You knew?"

"I might've told him," Daryl confessed.

 _****Flashback****_

 _It was about a week ago. Daryl had asked Rick to go out to Hershel's pond and go fishing with him. About an hour into fishing, Daryl looked to Rick and said, "Got something I need to talk to you about."_

 _Rick turned his attention from his cork bobbing in the water to his friend. "Is it about you and Carol. Is she...Is she pregnant."_

 _"She ain't pregnant, dumbass," he grumbled, then reached into his pocket and retrieved a little black box that he shoved into Rick's hand._

 _Wide eyed, Rick opened the box. Silently, he glanced over the ring._

 _"So?" Daryl eagerly inquired._

 _"Wow," Rick muttered. "I just...I had no idea you guys were this serious."_

 _Daryl stared blankly at Rick, unable to believe that after seeing them together for going on a year and everything they'd told him, that he still didn't think that Daryl really loved her._

 _Rick gave Daryl a teasing smile. "I'm fucking with you, man."_

 _Daryl rolled his eyes. "Shut up, asshole. You said you wanted to be the first to know if something happened with us in the future, well here I am telling you. So be fucking serious. I wanna marry your sister, Rick. I love her more than anything and I wanna spend my life with her. Whatever job I get, wherever I go, she said she wants to come with me. And I want her to. God knows I ain't going nowhere without her. But she just started college again back in the fall and that means wherever I go, she's gotta transfer to a school there. She's gotta uproot this life she built here. Quit her job. A job she loves with people she loves. It ain't fair for me to do that to her without doing something for her to solidify what we have. I want this next step, man."_

 _"I'm proud of you," Rick said with a genuine smile. "For who you've become. For the way you treat my sister." He slapped his friend on the shoulder. "And I'd be damn proud to call you my brother. I couldn't be happier for you two."_

 _***End of Flashback***_

Rick walked over and pulled his sister into a tight embrace, then did the same to Daryl. "Come on, we've got somewhere to be."

"Shit!" Carol snapped, the excitement and euphoria draining from her as she realized that they had to get to Daryl's interview. She grabbed her now fiancé's hand and said, "we've gotta go."

He pulled her back into him and shook his head. "I called and cancelled that interview."

Puzzled, she said, "What? Why?"

He smirked at her. "Because I got a call the other day saying I got that job on St. Catherine's Island. And that works out perfectly, because you already got into that school in Brunswick you applied to just in case I got the job."

"Why didn't you tell me! I've been freaking out about rushing to get there on time and making sure we were packed and that we had everything we needed!"

"I needed you to be distracted so I could pull this off."

She rested her head on his chest and wound her arms around him, with a chuckle she said, "Well, it worked. I had no idea. Where did you even hide all this?"

"In your old room in the closet. I know you don't hardly go in there since it was Merle's room for a while." Merle had moved in with them over the summer. Not long after his first visit with his daughter he'd quit his job and asked Daryl if he could move in to be closer to his kid and find a job around there. By the end of summer he'd landed one as a carpenter and moved about fifteen minutes away from Andrea and his daughter. Merle had turned out to be a surprisingly doting father, but that didn't mean he'd made a complete turn around in life. He'd brought a different woman home almost every night over the summer, and in Carol's opinion, he'd defiled her old room to the point she didn't care to step foot in too often.

Giddy with excitement, Rick told them, "Come on, you two can talk in the car. You've got somewhere to be."

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see," Rick grinned. "Come on, let's go."

()()()

The three of them piled into Rick's car and he drove them out to Hershel's farm, which was packed with cars.

"What is this?" Carol asked.

"Little celebration for the two of you."

"How many people did you tell!" She exclaimed, cutting her eyes at Daryl.

"Only Rick," he growled, narrowing his eyes on his soon to be brother-in-law. "The fuck, man?" He growled again. "Did you tell every-damn-body!"

"Well...Yeah." Seeing the look of anger stemming from both of them, he hastened, "But not until yesterday. I wanted to do something for the two of you."

"What if she'd said no!" He barked. "You'd have made me look like a fucking dumbass!"

"I know my sister, she wasn't gonna say no. Now come one. Let's go inside. There's cake."

()()()

Hand in hand, they strolled through the front door to a loud eruption of applause, claps, whoops, and whistles from their friends and family. Everyone was there. Hershel, Annette, and all their kids, including Glenn and Jimmy and his and Beth's infant child. Tara and Denise. Michonne. Merle, Andrea, and their daughter, Audrey. Even Carol's dad and step-mom.

One by one, they were pulled into congratulatory hugs from all of the attendants at their engagement party.

"I knew you'd be sticking around from the moment my trail camera caught you two on my dock that day," Hershel smiled warmly. "

"Welcome to the family, officially anyway," Carol's dad had told Daryl. "Good to know I'll always have someone on hand if my bike tears up."

"Despite the first impression I had of you, Carol really did good this time. I'm very happy for both of you," Patricia said, with not a bit of spite or malice in her voice.

Merle kissed Carol's cheek and said, "Called it that weekend he hurled all over you. If that ain't true love I don't know what is."

"Who'd have ever thought Daryl Dixon would be getting engaged before us?" Maggie teased, smiling over at Glenn.

"You're making me look bad, dude," Glenn joked.

"I always knew you'd make a decent guy for some girl if you ever met the right one." Michonne grinned.

Andrea shook her head playfully. "That shy little Daryl Dixon I knew is all grown up and getting married. Who would have ever thought?"

"Does this mean you're finally gonna be my aunt?" Little blond headed, blue eyed Audrey squealed

After the congratulations were over and Carol was standing next to Daryl, eating a piece of cake, and holding six year old Audrey in her arms. The child had developed a fondness for her since the moment she met. And so had her mother. Andrea and Carol quickly became friends and the fact that Carol shared that house with Merle led to Andrea being much more comfortable letting her daughter stay overnight with her father for the first time.

"So!" The little girl beamed with an innocent smile, "Now that you and uncle Daryl are getting married when are you gonna make me a big cousin?"

Carol almost choked on the slice of cake she was eating and the sip of drink Daryl had been taking at the moment wound of being spewed all over the floor.

 **The End!**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed it.**

 **It was supposed to be a short Monica/Chandler/Ross type situation, and then it grew into something else entirely.**

 **But much appreciation to those of you who stuck it out with me for 79 chapters.**


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